[un1xl0ser]

Linux has good enough binary compatibility. I have seen 32-bit applications built on RHEL 2.1 run on RHEL 5. You need the correct libraries and versions, but that's not a difficult problem to solve. See AppCafe[1] by PC-BSD. You may use it if you use plugins on FreeNAS. Lets say that you need fifteen copies of SDL installed to ensure that you can support ten years of games. This is not a problem for a Unix/Linux system with existing tooling.

Stable 3D depends on the hardware and drivers, but gaming already has hardware requirements for graphics and it's getting much better. As far as OpenGL support, recent posts on HN lead me to believe that we are doing okay.

Audio compatibility? Support ALSA and OSS.

1. http://wiki.pcbsd.org/index.php/AppCafe%C2%AE/9.2

[stock_toaster]

  >  You need the correct libraries and versions, but that's not a difficult problem to solve

Or just ship statically linked binaries. That seems like it would be a good solution for games.

[Mikeb85]

> Or just ship statically linked binaries. That seems like it would be a good solution for games.

Yup. That's what Steam does...

[srd]

Not under linux. It does supply it's own set of .so libs though.

[simcop2387]

That or shipping the versions used is usually the way it goes on windows. Take a look at a lot of the games on steam, and many of them will carry an OpenAL dll with them.