MMORPG Games For Linux - Overview

Linux builds make really great operating systems for many end user applications. With their superior security, functionality, adjustability, and customizability, for growing numbers of people Linux systems are the first OS choice after weighing all factors. Unfortunately, one factor which must be taken into account with Linux is the fact that there simply are not that many games available for Linux users, which sometimes can be a major hit to the value of the OS for people.

The good news is that having a pleasant gaming experience with Linux is slowly becoming more and more possible for people who do enjoy gaming. Not only are more games being made specifically for the Linux platform, there is also growing Windows games compatibility in Linux, through the use of the WINE Windows Compatibility Layer. Finally, there are quite a few browser-based games being made at the moment, which work just as well in a Linux internet browser as in any other computing environment.

This article series will focus on MMORPG's for Linux.. online games which are totally playable in Linux, and which in some cases are even exclusive to the Linux platform. I feel that there isn't as much awareness of Linux gaming as there should be, considering the solid-as-a-rock stability of the platform. I've never had a Linux game crash on me, something that probably no one could say about Windows games.

So, with no further ado, lets take a look at what kinds of MMORPG games are available for the Linux platform, and outline a few of the highlight games in each category.

If you haven't looked into exactly which games have Linux clients, you might be surprised to learn that even some of the top MMORPG games have had Linux clients created for them by the game developers. Some of the clients are better supported than others, but many games are just as playable in Linux as they would be in Windows.

Some examples of games with Linux clients are EvE Online, A Tale in the Desert 4, Vendetta Online, Regnum Online, Second Life, and Dofus.

In some cases, these games actually run better in Linux than they would in Windows. Linux is inherently a more stable operating system, using less resources than Windows, and it is a rare occurrence to get lockups or crashes in Linux operating systems. If you use Linux as your OS, this does not exclude you from participating in MMORPG gameplay. In fact, the list of Linux MMORPGs is growing every day, particularly with the use of the Windows emulator WINE. Additionally, browser games are usually playable in Linux as well.