GPL Games and GNU/Linux: Do We Really Need Them Anyway?

For over a year, I've been considering how money can be made writing GPL games. I'm finally putting my thoughts down after some game immersion.

Writing games is hard work, and is probably one of the most lucrative markets when it comes to software - people actually pay to enjoy their computer, be it through simulations or alternate realities. Real time strategy games, arcade style games, massive multiplayer online roleplaying games (MMORPGs)... you name it, people enjoy playing them. It should be noted, too, that a lot of these games assist in developing computer literacy. Show a kid a game on a computer which they are interested in, and they'll rush in undaunted by a lack of computer literacy.

So what is the problem with Free Software and games? Simple. Writing games isn't cheap. Writing good games is a fickle business as well. Look at any leader in the game software industry, and you see a company that spends a lot of time and money on their product. If it's GPL'd, a problem happens - anyone can share it with anyone at no cost, and the original gaming company doesn't make their money. This is probably one of the largest setbacks for the much talked about GNU/Linux desktop - there's not as many games by a stretch when compared to the Windows platform.

GNU/Linux vs. Windows - An Atari Thought

This brings in an interesting parallel. Some of the people who read this may recall a company named Atari. The Atari 2600 gaming console was probably one of the first really successful game platforms created - though more recently, Nintendo and Sega have ruled the market. But what's most interesting about this part of computing history is the role that Atari played in the personal computer market - or better, the role it didn't play.

How many people remember the Atari 130 ST? Or the Atari 520ST? I didn't have one, though I wish I did back then. Most of those old 'Compute!' magazine type-in-yourself games revolved around these platforms (and I had a shoddy Vic20 at the time. Press Play On Tape). But I didn't want the 520 ST so much for games as I did for programming. 512KB of RAM was a LOT of RAM back then. But here's the funny thing - nobody would buy me one (I was a kid) because of one thing. It was an 'Atari', it was stereotyped.

Is Windows going to be stereotyped in the same way? Maybe, maybe not. But with GNU/Linux, there's not as many games which is often seen as a setback. That's not necessarily so. Microsoft may just be getting ready to become the next Atari. After all, OpenOffice.org has quickly shown that it's a multiplatform contender which beats out Microsoft's largest liabilities: Cost and Security.

So what is Windows more than a gaming platform? Is it a mistake that Microsoft has the X-Box? Do they stand a chance against Sega, Sony and Nintendo? I don't know. But it's something to consider.

But for the majority of what I do these days, Windows is just for games. Of course, it's worth wondering what Windows XP Service Pack 2's impact on the gaming industry will be - consider this article about the GNU/Linux Desktop.

But does that mean that since the dominant PC gaming operating system is proprietary, game software has to be proprietary? Maybe, maybe not. Maybe it depends on the game.

GNU/Linux and Games

GNU/Linux does have games. Take a look at LinuxGames.com as one example of an aggregation of games. But standalone games are hard to GPL - standalone meaning that you can play them by yourself.

So how does a game company make money releasing GPL games? The same way that other GPL based companies make money: Service. Is this a new idea? I thought so until I did some searching around and found Full GPL Game Company - Nevrax, posted to Slashdot back in February. And they are even making recent headway.

The concept itself is simple - give away the game, charge for people to access servers to play each other. Many game companies already follow this to some extent - even Microsoft (Asheron's Call, as an example) - though they still charge for the software.

Other games? Who knows. It's a bit of a dilemma - no game company really wants to fork over large amounts of cash and time to simply become philanthropists.

Maybe Microsoft will settle for being a gaming platform. They have a lot of money, they have a lot of talent - but they lack the imagination and dedication of the masses of Free Software and Open Source developers.

Maybe it's better that GNU/Linux doesn't have too many GPL games. Who would want to be stereotyped as a gaming company? Certainly not Microsoft, that's for sure. But nowadays, that's all their OS seems to be useful for.