Elite Dangerous is a massively #multiplayer online #space #simulator, one that brings an open world adventure to the modern generation with a connected galaxy. An evolving narrative and the entirety of the Milky Way re-created at its full galactic proportions. There really is no specific category, but gameplay could be a singleplayer and an MMO. And the fact that we see a Mac build means that a port to Linux should not be out of the question.
The community has not been idle, there are pages and pages of users asking for Linux port on the official Steam forums. Petitions have been put created, but it seems Frontier Developments have a new agenda now, along with new modules, etc.
Frontier Developments are trying to port Elite Dangerous on Linux, according to the job posting originally revealed on Reddit.
“Frontier is looking for an experienced systems programmer to join our office in Cambridge, UK, to work on cross-platform library development for providing online services to our game projects…..
Ability to write platform-independent code for deployment on Windows, Mac OSX, Linux, and current generation consoles,” according to the job posting.
This is interesting news, since there is a Mac version already available using OpenGL. And Linux Game News reached out to Frontier back in April, regarding the Linux port, “I’m sorry to disappoint you, but there are no plans for a Linux port right now.”
This was after forwarding a link to a Linux Format interview with co-creator David Braben outlining, “Linux is something Frontier are seriously looking at supporting.”
Obviously Frontier Developments followed the mindset, if the community demand is great enough a native port will exist. While it appears the reason we have yet to see a native port is due to a lack of multi-platform development support. Somewhat common amongst developers still on the fence about porting to Linux due to development costs and the current limited market share for the platform.
