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End of 32-bit gaming?

Posted By: FsFOOT

End of 32-bit gaming? - 09/13/19 05:29 PM

Anyone who is computer savvy can tell 32-bit is going away.

This means everything from the CPU to Video Drivers to support for 32-bit games and other apps and on most all platforms may go away from the masses.

Already most devices use a 64-bit CPU and some have no support for 32-bit anymore.

So does this mean 32-bit game support is ending.. well yes if but slowly.

A recent thread in of the same question in the Gamers on Linux forum raises the question and provides a bit of insight.

Originally Posted by [url=https://www.gamersonlinux.com/forum/threads/end-of-32-bit.2823/


There has been some rustling of the feathers in the Ubuntu world as they discuss ending 32-bit support.

I also just read and article about Mac OSX Catalina which actually is removing all 32-bit application support.
https://appletoolbox.com/psa-macos-catalina-will-kill-your-32-bit-apps-heres-what-you-should-know/

Could this happen to Linux and Windows?

Without 32-bit support literally thousands of games, programs and drivers will stop working. Think about thousands of old games since 1980's that still run on computers.... would they actually prevent us from playing them?

booman, Jul 10, 2019

#1

Sorta, but I think it's been blown out of proportion:

- at this time, no distro, including Ubuntu, is removing the ability to execute 32bit binaries from their kernel.
- Ubuntu has decided to stop building and installing 32bit compatibility libraries as part of its main repositories (however, they've partly backtracked on that and will probably continue to support a minimal set of libraries required by Wine and Steam)
- There's nothing to stop the community from creating its own 32bit libraries, through PPAs etc.
- There's nothing to stop Steam building its own set of 32bit libraries against Ubuntu sources and delivering them with its installer... as they already do for their UI libraries.

So it's a bit different than Apple, who control the source and have a long history of being somewhat controlling of their customers. Given that MS only finally retired 16bit support in W7, some 30 years after the 386 became common, I don't imagine we'll see 32bit being retired until the late 2020s...

Kaitain, Jul 11, 2019

Ah, I didn't know the community could build 32 bit libraries to support 32-bit applications...
I wonder if that will happen for Mac or if someone will just build a MacBox emulator to play those old games?

booman, Jul 11, 2019
#3


I may be completely off here Boo so don't take this to heart. It just seems to me that in a world clambering constantly for the new that those who still wish to use or need to use 32 bit must (It seems to me)
be few and becoming fewer all the time.

So community provided 32 bit libraries could be our best bet.
As I see it this might actually help move us forward.

As older games become increasingly harder to set up properly it should create some pressure on our users to move into newer games.

Not even 32 bit lasts forever.":O}

...


IMHO Windows platform will soon end support for 32-bit games and also will so many platforms from the OS themselves to the applications used by Gamers like Steam and many others.
Even gaming over in the cloud will undoubtedly give up 32-bit support eventually.

While some will always claim they just use an old win98 or whatever you have to realize that is very insecure and limited functionality.

Thankfully the Retro-gaming wave and devices and of course Linux, BSD, etc. may be the saving grace.

In the future look to having a strictly dedicating device for your gaming and not based on M$ products if you want any updates, etc. because IMHO you will find that gone ;/

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