Steam for Linux limited access beta now available

A limited access beta for Linux on Steam is now available and includes Big Picture mode.

The Steam for Linux Beta client supports the free-to-play game Team Fortress 2, and approximately two dozen additional Steam titles are now also available for play on Linux systems. The Linux Beta client includes Big Picture mode which is also currently in beta.

"This is a huge milestone in the development of PC gaming," according to Gabe Newell. "Steam users have been asking us to support gaming on Linux. We're happy to bring rich forms of entertainment and our community of users to this open, customer-friendly platform."

The Steam for Linux Beta client is currently available for installation on Ubuntu 12.04 with an "overwhelming majority of beta applicants" reporting use of the Ubuntu distro of Linux.

Valve said it intends to support additional distros in the future, with prioritization of each released based on customer feedback.

Within its first week, Valve received over 60,000 responses to its request for participants in the Steam for Linux Beta. The first round of beta participants has been selected from this group of respondents, with more users to be added over the course of the beta.