>Linux versions on Steam (Larian with BG3 is a recent example)

Not just on Steam but only for Steam Deck

But I think that's an understandable position. One single distro with one single hardware (okay two because the LCD and OLED versions has some differences).

Once you go down the "full Linux support" way it's a hellhole of different distros, compositors, proprietary and open source hardware drivers etc. This is where Flatpak, AppImage, snap etc. could actually play a good part imo if done well but I'm not sure I've seen any games released on Steam for Linux in those formats (maybe Steam not even allow it)

Edit: you can download BG3 for any Linux distro not just the Steam Deck

Good chance that this version will run on most up to date distros without much issue. So I don't see it as a reason not to release it.

> proprietary and open source hardware drivers etc

Somewhat of a problem, but not so much anymore, most Linux gamers know to use AMD and Mesa. So I'd say their focus on SteamOS is a good base of support.

Those are sometimes related. I know Tooth and Tail never released on Linux on GoG because they use the stores networking for multiplayer. So you can't do that on Linux without Galaxy but can on Steam.

Yeah, that's a good point.

To be fair I could have sworn that BG3 had a Linux version.

Using heroic and wine is so seamless that I don't even remember if I have been running a game natively or not. It just works.

Supposedly their native version is more optimized, but yeah, it runs well otherwise.

> Using heroic and wine is so seamless that I don't even remember if I have been running a game natively or not. It just works.

If you're using Heroic on Linux, then there's no question whether you're running games natively or not. You are running a Windows game in WINE (or Proton, a WINE fork). Epic Store doesn't carry any Linux native games (even when a native Linux version exists).

> A bigger problem for me is not lack of Linux Galaxy client, but that a bunch of developers only release Linux versions on Steam (Larian with BG3 is a recent example).

It's because building for Linux expects specific versions of system libraries like glibc, if you compile your game on newer glibc, it may not run on older version of glibc at all. Steam solves it with Steam Linux Runtime compatibility layer which forces the game to run with specific glibc (and others) shipped with Steam on Linux, other video game stores have no equivalent solutions.

I don't think Steam runtime provides custom glibc. Above is cited sometimes as a complication, but a bunch of projects solve it without much hassle (appimage is one example).

Anyway, Steam runtime is a massive overkill especially when its libraries get outdated.