14 DAY TRIAL // Rumors about a Linux port for Final Fantasy XIII have started to pop up, especially after some users have reported seeing it, for a short while, in the Steam for Linux library.
Final Fantasy XIII has just been ported for the PC platform and it has been released on Steam only for Windows. The game is developed by Square Enix and published by the same company, and they have no prior history with Linux titles.
In fact, Square Enix hasn't said anything about bringing their games to SteamOS, the Linux distribution developed by Valve, and the company seems to be content sitting on the sidelines and waiting to see whether Steam for Linux will be a success or not.
How reliable are the rumors of the Final Fantasy XIII port?
A Reddit user posted a screenshot of his Steam library, where the game was listed under the Linux category. If you already have the title and are thinking about checking it for yourself, don't bother. It's no longer there.
This happened only once, with The Witcher 2. The game was rumored to receive Linux support and it showed up for a while in the library, only to be removed later on. The RPG eventually landed on Linux, but it's not uncommon to have a game listed under Linux only for it to be withdrawn at a later date.
There are also a few entries in the Steam database that mention the Linux platform, but there is nothing conclusive. In any case, there is just enough information to keep Linux users hoping and nothing more.
So, is Final Fantasy XIII really worth the trouble?
That really depends on who you ask. There are very dedicated Final Fantasy fans out there who know and understand the entire mythos behind the story in this famous series, and then there is everyone else who tries to play a newer release and doesn't understand what is happening on the screen.
To make things even worse, the port that landed on Steam for Windows is not exactly optimized for the PC. For once, it needs 60GB of space and the resolution is locked at 720p, which is really small for today's monitors, and to top it all off, there are no graphical settings of any kind.
Square Enix only has a few of its games released on Steam for Mac OS X and they are all from the European studios (like the latest Hitman or Tomb Raider), so it's not totally inconceivable that a Linux port might be on its way. We'll keep you apprised with any news on this subject.