Playtron have teased their PlaytronOS, taking aim at the gaming space to compete with SteamOS with a Linux-powered system. Could be exciting times ahead.
Let’s see, on one hand we have this list compiled by somebody on Mastodon:
mockup looks like they’re pitching a device.
mockup is missing critical functionality (buttons)
infected with cryptocurrency brainworms
they haven’t decided about open source yet
trash talking existing devices, yet being vaporware itself
grand claims that have no backing in reality (like Epic, Fortnite, Roblox)
And the article itself has this:
Update 13:34 UTC, 19/03/24: One of the videos Playtron supplied to The Verge, showcasing some tech used on mobile in the article linked below, wasn’t even their own and was taken uncredited from another person on YouTube, who hit them with a copyright claim and had it taken down. Not a good look.
I’m betting this is either an outright scam, or some small project by somebody WAAAAY over their head that won’t even see the light of day
@mr_MADAFAKA Are they using a single plate for the D pad like those awful modern track pads, or are those super tiny buttons? Either way, those controls look like garbage. Absolutely would not buy.
I’m very sceptical. I’m fine with their launcher being proprietary, but when they utilize FOSS then just contribute to projects and improve the whole ecosystem. Without exclusivity.
Lie about SteamOS being locked to Steam on their front page is immediate red flag. Yes, it’s Steam-first, the easiest way of running games is, well, through Steam, so obviously it doesn’t offer painless controller friendly way of installing games from other store fronts, but at the same time nothing is locked here and other launchers or games from other stores work fine on SteamOS. The point is fair, but the word choice is ass.
And how exactly integration with something like Epic or GOG would be „first class citizen” without official support/agreements? Do they plan deals with Epic? Is their CEO happy to suddenly support Linux or is it going to be locked down to just the platform? If it’s unofficial, how it will work from the legal standpoint that they advertise potentially paid software with other companies brands as if it was official?
If there will be any form of exclusivity, the PR will be horrible
First off, what the fuck are those buttons? If I’m buying a controller, the point is buttons. That shit is just touchscreen minus screen and out of the way. I may as well buy a tablet at that point.
Meh, this reads more like an Android approach than a SteamOS approach to me. Make your stuff really open source and develop it in the open and you got me. Otherwise I will stay with “real” Linux.
While steam os is really open I do like the idea of it not being tied to steam. “Games you’ve bought from the Epic Games Store are first-class citizens, too” this is closer to the linux ethos. Hopefully they have a good release.
Yes that’s true but the steam deck doesn’t ship with heroic so those games are not as easy to access as a steam game. An os that has a neutral platform is better than one that favors a certain vendor.
It’s already as easy to access them as it is on any other Linux OS. It’s not valve’s fault epic has no official Linux launcher. You can already add non-steam shortcuts to the steam os side easily, this is not on valve to fix
When Epic drops a Linux launcher, it will probably be forced to easily include those store fronts just as the EU forces those things now upon Apple and Microsoft.
Yes I know, just as you could just install a different browser on Windows, but because it’s shipping Edge by default, it needs to also provide easier access to the other browsers. Guys, I’m not making up those laws, I’m not fighting for them, I just share the way it works.
Its not up to valve to make it easier to access epic. It’s up to epic. I think having an os that is owned by neither valve nor epic would make it more likely to have both storefronts supported as first party citizens.
Epic isn’t going to come to the table just to make steamOS better. Same as Microsoft isn’t going to make steamOS better.
But they epic might come to the table and try and get their platform supported if it was an OS not controlled by their direct competition.
That makes sense in my head but I’m not sure if i have conveyed the idea clearly.
This is exactly my point. Microsoft is not supporting linux to improve steamOS or linux gaming. Microsoft supports Linux because they have their own Linux distro that they use and benefit from. The more companies we can get using Linux the better.
No they support it because of Azure Cloud and DotNet applications. But in some point in time, epic will probably deliver a Linux client and then Valve will probably be forced to make it easier to get the launcher, because they ship steam per default. It’s the same thing the EU is cracking down on with Apple and Microsoft.
Force Valve to include an unofficial storefront of a platform that doesn’t support that that operating system at all? Maybe once EPIC officially supports Linux and with their store client and games a case could be made, but that would force steam and epic to come preinstalled on all windows computers too by the same logic.
I never said valve should be forced to deliver heroic. Epic will in some point in time release a Linux client.
And no it wouldn’t force Steam and Epic to come preinstalled on a Windows computer, because the Steam Deck ships steam per default. Windows ships Edge and is forced to make it easier to get other browsers. Its really not that complicated.
I’m not sure the steam deck even could ship with Heroic if they wanted. While epic should like the idea of valve making it easier to play egs games, Heroic is still a tool meant to bypass their product to play their games.
As an open source community project it’s fine, but Epic might not take it well if their biggest rival started advertising support for their game store through a non-epic launcher.
It’s like a 5 minute detour to install the things that work on the Deck. You will have the same issues on any Linux device because Epic doesn’t have native Linux support for their launcher or games.
As long as steamOS is the only player in the game then epic has no reason to come to the table. They don’t want to make steamOS better its their direct competition.
That’s why a neutral platform could be a good addition to the Linux handheld space.
Like 5 different Windows-based handhelds launched in response to Steam Deck. ASUS ROG being the biggest player I believe. There isn’t a shortage of options here. Valve just has the best product right now, chill out.
Ok so because valve has a good linux handheld operating system then no one else should make a competing Linux handheld system. Why are you so against the idea of more people contributing to the Linux eco system.
No. As I said before, plenty are making these PC-style handhelds. There is no shortage of options out there. The CONSUMER is choosing the Steam Deck. It’s just the most popular right now.
I’m missing what you’re angry about with regards to this. Steam Deck is great. I’m sure the ASUS ROG one is great. What’s the problem?
Let’s see, on one hand we have this list compiled by somebody on Mastodon:
And the article itself has this:
I’m betting this is either an outright scam, or some small project by somebody WAAAAY over their head that won’t even see the light of day
@mr_MADAFAKA Are they using a single plate for the D pad like those awful modern track pads, or are those super tiny buttons? Either way, those controls look like garbage. Absolutely would not buy.
@KelvinShadewing @mr_MADAFAKA it’s also funded by cryptobros apparently…
@hexaheximal @mr_MADAFAKA Ewwwww…
I’m very sceptical. I’m fine with their launcher being proprietary, but when they utilize FOSS then just contribute to projects and improve the whole ecosystem. Without exclusivity.
Lie about SteamOS being locked to Steam on their front page is immediate red flag. Yes, it’s Steam-first, the easiest way of running games is, well, through Steam, so obviously it doesn’t offer painless controller friendly way of installing games from other store fronts, but at the same time nothing is locked here and other launchers or games from other stores work fine on SteamOS. The point is fair, but the word choice is ass.
And how exactly integration with something like Epic or GOG would be „first class citizen” without official support/agreements? Do they plan deals with Epic? Is their CEO happy to suddenly support Linux or is it going to be locked down to just the platform? If it’s unofficial, how it will work from the legal standpoint that they advertise potentially paid software with other companies brands as if it was official?
If there will be any form of exclusivity, the PR will be horrible
deleted by creator
look I’m sorry I’m getting Gizmondo vibs
deleted by creator
Ah of course, coming from one of the people who had the chance to make something great and absolutely fucking squandered it.
Nothing gets me more hyped to buy a new device than a shot of bad memories straight in the vein.
As a former Cyanogen user I agree wholeheartedly.
X
Are they? Do they even have a linux client yet? I’d say they are second class citizens at best.
First off, what the fuck are those buttons? If I’m buying a controller, the point is buttons. That shit is just touchscreen minus screen and out of the way. I may as well buy a tablet at that point.
Yes, well, buttons are expensive. And according to Tesla, they’re overrated anyway.
Well then I expect this device to cost $20 since capacitive touch interfaces must be cheap.
Indeed. I hope that design gets vetoed before being finalised. It would be good to have another native Linux gaming console.
Whoever designed this probably isn’t a gamer I reckon.
A what? … So a Android gaming handheld by Cynagen people?
Seems like it’s just a Linux distro, no hardware.
On one hand cool, but on the other, just use Bazzite.
Meh, this reads more like an Android approach than a SteamOS approach to me. Make your stuff really open source and develop it in the open and you got me. Otherwise I will stay with “real” Linux.
While steam os is really open I do like the idea of it not being tied to steam. “Games you’ve bought from the Epic Games Store are first-class citizens, too” this is closer to the linux ethos. Hopefully they have a good release.
Games bought from EGS definitely are not first class citizen in Linux world. Luckily there are Heroic or Lutris.
Tbf, that’s mostly due to Epic themselves
No, it isn’t.
Epic could have a downright amazing Linux client and would still not be included in the Steam Deck OS. Same with Humble or GoG or whoever else.
None of them have Linux support so we can’t affirm 100% that should be the case.
Yes that’s true but the steam deck doesn’t ship with heroic so those games are not as easy to access as a steam game. An os that has a neutral platform is better than one that favors a certain vendor.
Question of time that EU will force valve to make it easier to access other shops. Just like its happening on Windows and iOS
It’s already as easy to access them as it is on any other Linux OS. It’s not valve’s fault epic has no official Linux launcher. You can already add non-steam shortcuts to the steam os side easily, this is not on valve to fix
When Epic drops a Linux launcher, it will probably be forced to easily include those store fronts just as the EU forces those things now upon Apple and Microsoft.
… but you would then just install them if you want them. Do you own a steam deck?
Yes I know, just as you could just install a different browser on Windows, but because it’s shipping Edge by default, it needs to also provide easier access to the other browsers. Guys, I’m not making up those laws, I’m not fighting for them, I just share the way it works.
Its not up to valve to make it easier to access epic. It’s up to epic. I think having an os that is owned by neither valve nor epic would make it more likely to have both storefronts supported as first party citizens.
Epic isn’t going to come to the table just to make steamOS better. Same as Microsoft isn’t going to make steamOS better.
But they epic might come to the table and try and get their platform supported if it was an OS not controlled by their direct competition.
That makes sense in my head but I’m not sure if i have conveyed the idea clearly.
Microsoft supports SteamDeck. They are platinum sponsor of the Linux Foundation.
This is exactly my point. Microsoft is not supporting linux to improve steamOS or linux gaming. Microsoft supports Linux because they have their own Linux distro that they use and benefit from. The more companies we can get using Linux the better.
No they support it because of Azure Cloud and DotNet applications. But in some point in time, epic will probably deliver a Linux client and then Valve will probably be forced to make it easier to get the launcher, because they ship steam per default. It’s the same thing the EU is cracking down on with Apple and Microsoft.
Force Valve to include an unofficial storefront of a platform that doesn’t support that that operating system at all? Maybe once EPIC officially supports Linux and with their store client and games a case could be made, but that would force steam and epic to come preinstalled on all windows computers too by the same logic.
I never said valve should be forced to deliver heroic. Epic will in some point in time release a Linux client.
And no it wouldn’t force Steam and Epic to come preinstalled on a Windows computer, because the Steam Deck ships steam per default. Windows ships Edge and is forced to make it easier to get other browsers. Its really not that complicated.
I’m not sure the steam deck even could ship with Heroic if they wanted. While epic should like the idea of valve making it easier to play egs games, Heroic is still a tool meant to bypass their product to play their games.
As an open source community project it’s fine, but Epic might not take it well if their biggest rival started advertising support for their game store through a non-epic launcher.
It’s like a 5 minute detour to install the things that work on the Deck. You will have the same issues on any Linux device because Epic doesn’t have native Linux support for their launcher or games.
As long as steamOS is the only player in the game then epic has no reason to come to the table. They don’t want to make steamOS better its their direct competition.
That’s why a neutral platform could be a good addition to the Linux handheld space.
Like 5 different Windows-based handhelds launched in response to Steam Deck. ASUS ROG being the biggest player I believe. There isn’t a shortage of options here. Valve just has the best product right now, chill out.
Ok so because valve has a good linux handheld operating system then no one else should make a competing Linux handheld system. Why are you so against the idea of more people contributing to the Linux eco system.
No. As I said before, plenty are making these PC-style handhelds. There is no shortage of options out there. The CONSUMER is choosing the Steam Deck. It’s just the most popular right now.
I’m missing what you’re angry about with regards to this. Steam Deck is great. I’m sure the ASUS ROG one is great. What’s the problem?
This.