Linux fans could soon cross the biggest checkbox on their lists, which reads "can it run Crysis?" Game developer Crytek is poised to reveal a variant of CryEngine 3 with native support for Linux, at GDC 2014, slated for next week. The move should pave the way for Linux (catalyzed by Steam OS) ports of games such as Crysis 3 and Nexuiz. It remains to be seen how its publisher EA handles the development.

While Nexuiz developer IllFonic won't have problems distributing their game over Steam, perhaps even with SteamPlay support, Crytek has to deal with EA. Crysis 3 is distributed over EA's Origin platform, and the publisher has no concrete plans for an Origin client for Linux. So what's the big hurry in porting CryEngine 3 to Linux? Perhaps Crytek's other, non-gaming clients hold the answer. CryEngine 3 powers "serious games," military combat simulators, civil aviation simulators, etc. Of these, the military would want to run simulators on open-source operating systems (so it could scrutinize the code). It could hence help Crytek to have a Linux version of CryEngine 3.