Valve's Gabe Newell Talks Linux Steam Client, Source Engine [with images]

[sygeek]

For those that have doubted the exclusive Phoronix claims for quite a while now that the Steam client and Source Engine are in fact being ported to Linux, the doubts can be nearly laid to rest. Even I began to wonder how long it would take before the clients for their popular games would be publicly released under Linux. However, after confirming the information perhaps a bit too soon, their level of Linux interest is much more clear after spending a day at their offices. A meeting topped off the day with Gabe Newell regarding Linux where he sounded more like a Linux saint than an ex-Microsoft employee. Valve does have some great plans for Linux beyond just shipping the client versions of Steam and their popular games on the Source Engine.

As I have been sharing for a few weeks, Valve invited me out to their Bellevue, Washington offices after Gabe Newell asked me last month for some referrals of developers with Linux OpenGL experience. They already have a team of Linux developers working on the client efforts, but they are looking to expand. From the recommendations I made to Gabe last month for some experienced Linux OpenGL programmers, they already hired one of them for their Linux skills and are still interviewing at least one other from my list. Valve is also hiring more, and it's just not Linux OpenGL -- even if you're just a Linux kernel developer they might be interested in hiring you (I'll be placing some more recommendations to them in the next few days, if you think you might be interested, contact me for possible referral especially if your work has been covered on Phoronix in the past).

*i.imgur.com/jVXgC.jpg

Source and full article (and more images)

Here is a log of the chat going on at Phoronix IRC:

[21:34:25] <birch> i'm interested to hear about the stuff besides just source/steam client
[21:35:23] <michaellarabel> birch: I think I'll resist commenting on that for now
[21:35:48] <wh1t3fang> how was your tour of valve?
[21:35:57] <birch> no problem, still interesting to hears other things are on the horizon, seems like rumors might actually be true
[21:36:06] <michaellarabel> tour? The tour took 5 minutes.... the Linux stuff took 6 hours.
[21:36:27] <michaellarabel> the 'rumors' for Linux on Valve are so tame compared to their grand plans
[21:37:03] <wh1t3fang> that is wonderful that they are really taking linux seriously
[21:37:23] <michaellarabel> it was amazing....
[21:37:44] <michaellarabel> Gabe was bashing Windows harder than I even do normally..... hell I'm trying out Windows 8 soon as I get back to my office as I want to see if it's as bad as he says
[21:38:38] <wh1t3fang> wow
[21:38:50] <wh1t3fang> that is pretty amazing
[21:38:56] Raff [~rafael@187.65.204.78] has quit IRC: Quit: Ex-Chat
[21:40:20] <wh1t3fang> will more information be coming later this week?
[21:42:33] <dashcloud> so did you read the employee handbook beforehand?
[21:46:05] <michaellarabel> I'm writing an article right now
[21:46:15] <wh1t3fang> oh ok
[21:54:08] <michaellarabel> it was really terrific, argh. having problems writing.
[21:54:36] <dashcloud> have some more beer!
[22:00:53] <michaellarabel> haha
[22:01:05] <michaellarabel> I had a lot of fun running the Linux client binaries, felt so refreshing.
[22:01:24] <michaellarabel> They let me run free on a developers' workstation as I was doing some driver testing and setting up some debugging stuff, etc.
[22:02:52] <dashcloud> so did you get to wheel a desk around?
[22:03:38] <michaellarabel> no, it was already setup
[22:06:04] <mikeplus64> sounds great
[22:10:15] <michaellarabel> I might actually have to wait until tomorrow morning to finish writing..... this was just so surprising with listening to Gabe about Linux.
[22:10:55] <birch> he's a former Microsoft employee though right?
[22:11:01] <michaellarabel> yes
[22:11:06] <birch> even funnier to hear then.
[22:11:45] <michaellarabel> A quote from my upcoming article already, " Listening to Gabe Newell talk about Linux for hours made me wonder whether he was a former ex-Microsoft employee (where he actually did work in his pre-Valve days...) or the director of the Linux Foundation. "
[22:11:54] <mikeplus64> take your time with the article, a well thought out article is always better than a rushed one

 

[Desmond]

Looks like they are paving the way for the SteamBox. I was wondering what OS they would use since Steam was not available for Linux then.

 

[Liverpool_fan]

Always remind yourself about Valve time, before getting excited lads.

 

[doomgiver]

if this is true, then :
1. SOLDIER UPDATE CONFIRMED!
2. nanobalaclava is going all class
3. we will be getting an insanely rare tf2 item for booting up tf2 on a linux machine

 

[Desmond]

It is coming this year. Looks like 2012 will be the year of Linux gaming.

Steam for Linux will launch in 2012 ? Video Games Reviews, Cheats | Geek.com

 

[Liverpool_fan]

I would suppose it would come on Q4 2012, near Winter sales. God I am excited, would be so brilliant.

 

[Desmond]

Now everyone will start porting existing games to Linux. TF2 F2P on Linux will be sweet.

 

[thetechfreak]

This is great
Most of the indie games will be readily available and obviously there would be TF2

 

[JojoTheDragon]

I hope I won't need windows anymore.