14 DAY TRIAL // Grand Theft Auto 5 will be here in just a few weeks, but Linux users will look with great interest and disappointment at Windows gamers. There is no way that a game as complex and big as GTA V would arrive on Linux. Or is there?
Even if we like to pretend that Linux is on equal footing with Windows when it comes to games, that is not actually true. It's possible to have some of the more complex games look similar on both platforms (take Metro: Last Light as an example), but for the most part the developers are not really interested in the Linux platform. That is for good reason. It's not profitable enough.
If we take the most optimistic percentage right now, we will find that the Linux desktop is probably at about 2% of the maker share. We're not counting servers or supercomputers, just desktop installations that are capable of running modern games. It's easy to understand why companies won't invest any money in a porting process.
Chances of a Linux port for Grand Theft Auto 5 are almost zero, but not quite
There are a number of factors that we need to consider when talking about a possible port. First of all, the bad news. This is a game that heavily relies on DirectX, which makes it almost impossible to bring to Linux, not unless some of the engine features are somehow cut down. Secondly, the developers from Rockstar Game are relying on a lot of middleware in their work and most of that software doesn't work on Linux.
And now for the good news. Some of the Rockstar Games do land on Mac OS X, which means that it's a small jump from that to Linux. Also, Rockstar Games is actually owned by 2K Software, a publisher which already showed a lot of interest in the Linux platform. Games like Civilization V, Civilization: Beyond Earth, or Borderlands, already have Linux versions.
So, the chances of seeing Grand Theft Auto 5 on Linux are slim to none and it will most likely never happen, but it's not impossible. If Linux does take off as a gaming hub, then you might get to play the next Grand Theft Auto on Linux at launch, with everyone else.
