Why do most games target on Windows rather than Linux or Mac?

Question

Why do most games target on Windows rather than Linux or Mac?

Answer 1

I don't know - I think its because most people have Windows (which is nowhere near as good as mac, especially linux). Also windows can sell games easier cuz i dunno - bill gates is a billionair?

Anyway, Linux really needs some of those kool games. Heres some advice:

Download games from the internet.

Try games like runescape that are really good and run in your browser.

Answer 2

Market Share.

More people ran Windows when PC games started getting big, and those same people stuck with Windows. Also most computer manufacturers put Windows on all(most) of their new computers. If you're making a game, wouldn't you want to produce it on the platform that will allow the most people to play it, hence making you the most money?

Answer 3

In my opinion, windows offer clean and helpful Software Development Kit (SDK) DirectX and Direct3D over Mac or Linux.  Mac or Linux didn't have easy to learn SDK.  They still need to improve their help section so that developer can learn to make a game easier.

Many Game developers spent million in developing game for Windows.  It's their best investment so far.

Answer 4

Its because Windows is the dominant force and it would not be financially viable for the manufacturers to target other platforms.

LUg.

Answer 5

Simple - games are designed for the biggest platform which would be Windows - for now.

There are a lot of Mac games in the works now that the iPhone SDK is in the hands of game developers.

Answer 6

same reason viruses usually target windows, everyone has it

Answer 7

games are more compatible in windows

Answer 8

As two other posters have mentioned.  It's a matter of numbers.  There are a lot more windows users than mac or Linux users.

Viruses have to get past the operating system's security AND be able to run under the operating system they are targeting.  Since Mac and Linux have much stronger security than windows, AND a virus would have to run under the target operating system, it doesn't make sense to target mac or Linux machines for the virus writers.

It is the same for games.  Games have to use the graphics components of the operating system to maximum advantage to achieve good performance.  The method Mac and Linux uses to manipulate graphics is radically different than the methods used in windows, especially at the highest performance levels.  It require MUCH more than just recompiling the program to run under the different operating system to get the game to run under linux or mac.  It would require a complete rewrite of the game's graphics.  Unlike, say, Open Office, that can use common methods to draw it's text and graphics on the screen between windows, Mac and Linux, 3D performance oriented games must be written to take full advantage of every last resource the graphics card has to offer.  It's not that linux or mac are not capable of the same performance, it's just that the way to achieve it in those operating systems is radically different than in windows.  Since the game developers have to spend tremendous resources to generate those graphics, they have to target the largest audience, meaning windows machines.

Besides, windows has to have SOME use, and I guess playing games is where it really excels :)

Answer 9

Windows is the most common OS.  However Linux has a pretty strong depth of games and because Macs are becoming more popular because of the quality and the Vista flop, the most popular games are going to start coming out for Macs.    

Answer 10

Because the people who make the games want to sell a lot of them, and since most people have Windows...well I think you can figure it out from here.