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Valve is confirming that 32-bit host libraries (especially the graphics stack) are staying for the foreseeable future, mainly for compatibility with older native 32-bit Linux games. (lemmy.ml)
submitted 3 weeks ago by to c/linux_gaming@lemmy.world
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https://github.com/ValveSoftware/steam-for-linux/issues/13015#issuecomment-6204720307

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[–] 57 points 3 weeks ago (9 children)

Good. Breaking old games unnecessarily is not an option.

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  • [–] 21 points 3 weeks ago (4 children)

    More people need to take this into account.

    Even until semi-recently a lot games were 32bit only. Luckily we got projects like WOW64 for Wine/Proton that's helping assure compatibility of older games in the future when 32bit libraries are completely dropped by most distros. But that still takes time to work out all the edge cases.

    Same thing for the people heavily pushing for everyone to SWITCH TO ARM RIGHT NOW!

    I like Arm (I'd prefer RISC-V) but I like video games being preserved, playable and as easily accessible as possible for people more than any shiny new hardware.

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  • [–] 4 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

    people heavily pushing for everyone to SWITCH TO ARM RIGHT NOW!

    That's a thing? Not seen/heard that before. If people are saying literally everyone should switch and abandon the entire ecosystem of software, they are obviously idiots. If people are musing that they wish it could happen while preserving compatibility, they are reasonable and in the right. ARM CPUs use way less power and run cooler and that is good for everyone.

    You might be right and I just haven't seen that sentiment. People are often selfish and unreasonable, but in this particular case I've not seen it.

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  • [–] 3 points 3 weeks ago

    "But Apple did it with absolutely 0 consequences"

    I don't think it's a super common sentiment across all crowds, but I wouldn't be surprised if some groups see the benefits Apple got by switching and wanted that for themselves.

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  • [–] 3 points 3 weeks ago (1 child)

    I'm probably overstating, I admit to spending too much time talking to "capital G gamers" and a while back something went around about "We've reached the limit of x86 and Nvidia's new ARM processors will be the future of PC gaming"

    I've had at least two separate people go on long winded rants about it to me, so now my eye twitches anytime I hear someone mention it.

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  • [–] 2 points 3 weeks ago

    Hah gotcha. I mean over enough timespan what they want will happen (pretty sure anyhow) and it will be good. But it may take 10-15 years. But I understand how annoying people can sometimes be about ideas like this

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  • [–] 25 points 3 weeks ago

    They wouldn't need to break anything. They could instead make the 32bit libraries optional, and show a warning if the user tries to play 32bit Linux game. The user would then have two options: Either play the Windows version through Proton, or install the missing libraries to play the Linux version.

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  • [–] 4 points 3 weeks ago (1 child)

    Ideally a JIT system would be nice. I think there are a lot of people who would install them and not need it.

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  • [–] 17 points 3 weeks ago*

    A compatibility layer translating 32 to 64bit calls would be the best option. Devs are right, keeping up multilib support is suboptimal. However those in the issue thread saying that "a majority of users want to get rid of 32bit libraries even if that makes old games not work" is just mad. A majority wants their games to god damn work optimally and do not care or even know about library issues. Even if Proton still works, it's one less option and the native one at that.

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  • [–] 2 points 3 weeks ago

    unnecessarily

    While I agree with your statement on personal level, I still wouldn't say it's unnecessary. Not everyone cares about old games, but want to have a cleaner system without old libraries. So from their perspective it would be unnecessary not to break old games.

    Let me be clear, I do not want old games to be broken. I just try to sympathize and see from their perspective with those who want the 32-bit libraries gone.

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    • [–] 1 point 3 weeks ago*

    staying for the foreseeable future

    7 years and a few weeks left.
    But I don't see «Agentic x64 Cleaners» anytime soon too anyways.

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