Canonical is willing to convert to Ubuntu in a referent of linux-gaming, so he recently posted a job offer looking for software engineers to join the “Ubuntu Gaming Experience” team. The intention is that the well-known distribution has a collection of games that simply work on it (although we understand that not exclusively).
It is not the first time that the company founded and led by Mark Shuttleworth has made moves in this regard, since at the beginning of the year it made its intentions clear and recently published a Steam repackage in Snap format maintained by itself.
Canonical emphasizes in the job offer the great boost that Proton has meant for the execution of video games on Linux. Despite the fact that the compatibility layer generates some debate about its current position and the apparent harm it has caused against native ports, it is no less true that over the years it has been gaining features such as the possibility of running Easy Anti-Cheat (EAC), which obviously paves the way for developers not always willing to spend a few thousand dollars to make their games work on Proton.
Apart from the Valve ecosystem and the preponderance it has within Linux Gaming, Canonical has also mentioned things like the performance, hardware and anti-cheat support, driver management, HUD overlays, RGB keyboards, and headsets. Hardware with RGB lighting is one of Linux’s biggest weaknesses in its competition with Windows, so we’ll see what the company does about it.
In short, the purpose of the Ubuntu Gaming Experience is to provide a competent and easy-to-use gaming platform. The recent movements made by Canonical suggest that Snap will be part of the axis of its strategy around the gamingthough that would only cover library support unless you intend to distribute games through the Snap Store.
Requirements include having experience with input devices, sound, and graphics on Linux and with the C and C++ languages (will also work in Python). Candidates have to show interest in working on APIs and components as OpenGL, Vulkan, Mesa, Proton, Wine, DXVK and Direct3D. We assume that VKD3D will also be in the package although it is not mentioned and the presence of Direct3D because it is what is translated the vast majority of the time to Vulkan through DXVK (which translates versions 9, 10 and 11 of Direct3D ) and VKD3D (which translates Direct3D version 12).
Ubuntu Gaming Experience is Canonical’s commitment to revitalize an Ubuntu that has been losing prominence in recent years due to the push of Arch Linux and Manjaro, the appearance of the Steam Deck with SteamOS 3 and Valve’s commitment to Flatpak as the preferred medium to install apps.
