In a rather unexpected move, Electronic Arts has added two web-based game titles to the Ubuntu Software Center of the popular Linux distribution, and although they're far from the newest games, Linux users will likely welcome Command and Conquer Tiberium Alliances as well as the Lord of Ultima with open arms.
Before Linux fans get too excited, it isn't the full game installation, but rather a loading web-app. That said, the move does suggest that the game developer has potentially spotted the currently untapped opportunity of using Ubuntu Linux as a another channel for delivering its content.
Both games are compatible with Firefox 4.0 or later, as well as Google Chrome, and are already freely accessible from the internet. "While some may focus on the fact that these are loading web apps, the really exciting opportunity here is that EA have identified Ubuntu as an exciting channel to deliver their content. I would like to encourage our community to welcome EA to Ubuntu, and download and enjoy the games," said Jono Bacon, a Canonical employee and community manager for Ubuntu on his website.
There is no doubt that PC gaming is dominated by those using Windows, with a smaller proportion on Apple Mac computers. While games on Linux do exist, the open source platform is yet to make any real impact.
It will be interesting to see how this progresses, especially with the recent announcement that Valve is working on a source engine and a port of its massively popular Steam service for Linux, which will also see the release of Left 4 Dead 2 on Linux. With two of the biggest game developers both exploring Linux options it's possible users will see more games begin to appear.
Image credit: H-Online