14 DAY TRIAL // The new Alien: Isolation game developed by Creative Assembly is out, and for the time being only the Windows platform is supported. That didn't stop fans of the Alien franchise from asking for a Linux port on the Steam forums.
Now that Steam for Linux has been released, more and more users are looking for games that support this platform. More than 700 titles are now working on Steam for Linux and a number of studios and big publishers are starting to see that there are a lot of Linux users.
Each new big release on Steam is usually followed by requests for a Linux port. Most of the time, the requests die down pretty fast if the developer doesn’t show any interest or if there is no history of that studio making a Linux game.
Alien: Isolation is a little bit different
As it always happens, someone started a thread on the Steam forums about a Linux version, but the response has been over the top. At the time of this writing, the topic was already 11-page-long and contained more than 150 messages. The vast majority were about Linux support. This is actually a lot, if you really want to put it into perspective.
There is a good reason why users might think that Creative Assembly might be open to suggestions about a Linux port. A while ago there were some rumors that another game from this studio, called Empire: Total War, might also get a Linux release. It even features an entry in the Steam database, which is usually (not all the time) a good indication of their intentions.
On the other hand, Sega has shown no interest until now in the Linux platform and the publisher is probably waiting for Linux to get more traction.
Gamers want Alien: Isolation because it’s very good
Alien: Isolation is very different from previous Alien games that were released in the past few years. The gameplay has been changed so that it resembles the first Alien movie, where the main character is trying to survive. For all intents and purposes, the only alien creature in the game is invincible and all you have to do is not die.
"Discover the true meaning of fear in Alien: Isolation, a survival horror set in an atmosphere of constant dread and mortal danger. Fifteen years after the events of Alien, Ellen Ripley's daughter, Amanda enters a desperate battle for survival, on a mission to unravel the truth behind her mother's disappearance," reads the Steam synopsis.
To be fair, there are very few chances that Alien: Isolation will ever see the light of day as a Linux title, but it's good to see the community putting pressure on the developers.
