Opinion: Just as Half-Life 2 helped launch Steam, a sequel could help establish non-Windows PC gaming.

This is an interesting take, especially coming from a non-gaming focused tech website like Ars Technica. I feel like it’s been too long since people were truly hyped about half life 3 though, and this wouldn’t be enough, even if Valve did go through with it.

People are increasingly unhappy with windows though, and the EoL of windows 10 may push people to Linux anyways.

  • ulterno@programming.devEnglish
    11·
    6 days ago

    Also, make the names of save files case sensitive, and name them like:

    • aaaaaa
    • aaaaaA
    • aaaaAa
    • aaaAaa
    • aaAaaa
    • aAaaaa
    • Aaaaaa
  • WereCat@lemmy.world
    12·
    6 days ago

    I think Valve knows better than to make an exclusive. Now will they optimise it for SD? I don’t think there’s any doubt about that.

  • Noxy@pawb.socialEnglish
    17·
    6 days ago

    What would be the point of actually making Half Life 3? The void caused by that game’s non-existence is too culturally important to ever replace!

  • mariusafa@lemmy.sdf.org
    173·
    6 days ago

    Making HL3 only GNU/Linux exclusive would be the gigachadest thing ever done. Well even better than exclusivity. Make the game playable on windows but only with a downgrade in performance or need of emulation, like the whole industry has made with GNU/Linux.

  • ObsidianZed@lemmy.world
    152·
    6 days ago

    There are grown ass adults born after the last main story Half-life game.

    While I have no doubt there would be some hype for a Half-life 3, I don’t think it would be the firestarter this author is thinking.

  • HStone32@lemmy.world
    4·
    5 days ago

    It’s always funny to see periodicals talk about Valve like they’re a normal puplicly traded tech company.

    Valve is private. That fact alone is neither inherently good, nor bad. What it means though, is that Valve will very likely behave very differently than other companies in the same market. Heck, I very much doubt half life Alyx would exist if they were public. If we get HL3, it will likely be a similar case.

    • Fubarberry@sopuli.xyzOPMEnglish
      3·
      5 days ago

      Valve is private. That fact alone is neither inherently good, nor bad.

      I’m leaning towards being a public company is inherently bad, so being a private company is preferable as the primary “not bad” option.

      My main experiences with public companies lately is that they prioritize quarterly and yearly profits over long term health of the company and a good relationship with their customers. I don’t think that approach will be healthy for the company long term, and hurts consumers short term.

      Privately owned companies can be just as shitty as publicly owned companies, but they’re not required to put short term shareholder profits first. The well run ones (especially family run ones) are more likely to prioritize building a good reputation and consumer loyalty, which is how you get companies that don’t suck to interact with.

  • LiveLM@lemmy.zipEnglish
    14·
    7 days ago

    Horrendous idea, sorry.
    If anything making it exclusive would just make your average Joe resent SteamOS

  • rotopenguin@infosec.pubEnglish
    7·
    6 days ago

    It’s more than enough to make HL3 a Steam exclusive. And make it run well on the Deck. If Valve really wants to gild the lily, they could put a little side-story just for the Deck’s controls. A follow-up to Aperture Desk Job, perhaps.

    • oyo@lemm.ee
      2·
      6 days ago

      VR has a major physical problem that no one has been able to solve: Nausea.

      • solberg@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
        4·
        6 days ago

        I feel bad for people who do but I’ve never gotten nauseous from VR. Maybe it doesn’t need to be for everyone? I haven’t played HL Alyx but from what I’ve heard it’s heavily crippled and reduced compared to something like Boneworks because it tries to accommodate those with motion sickness etc

        • oyo@lemm.ee
          3·
          6 days ago

          Yeah, I can play Alyx just fine with point and click movement, aside from my head getting ridiculously hot, but full-motion like boneworks wrecks me in 10 minutes.

          Even if Alyx is “crippled” it’s by far the best VR content that exists, by an incredibly wide margin. (I’m too lazy to check but I also think you can change it to full motion.)

          It should be noted that I don’t get motion sickness in other contexts like in vehicles, rollercoasters, acrobatic aircraft, etc.

  • JokeDeity@lemm.ee
    214·
    6 days ago

    Half Life 3 has been out for years and I’m absolutely sick of this mental retardation. It’s called Alyx and you don’t play as Gordon, get the fuck over it already, it’s been years.

    LOL, those downvotes. Cope fuckers. 😂