THQ weighing 'costs and benefits' of Linux for upcoming releases

Linux is currently in consideration for future THQ titles and ports, according to THQ president Jason Rubin.

Speaking with Polygon via email, Rubin explained that as game makers, THQ's goal should be to bring entertainment to a wide, viable audience. After a large response from THQ Humble Bundle buyers, the team began to weigh the prospects of Linux.

"The message I took away from a large number of tweets and comments around the THQ Humble Bundle sale is that there are vibrant communities of gamers using other operating systems besides the dominant ones, and a company like THQ should not overlook them," Rubin said.

THQ is currently balancing the costs and benefits to decide whether or not releasing Linux-based titles makes financial sense, Rubin continued. Different calculations are given to each game, and releasing another version of a previous title on a new platform comes with unavoidable costs.

"Complicating the analysis (in a positive way), gamers have tweeted inventive ideas to me, such as letting the community help in the porting to bring down costs," Rubin said. "THQ is committed to look at anything that makes sense."

"I'm sure we will have more to announced shortly," Rubin added.

News of Linux consideration first appeared on Twitter yesterday morning, when Rubin responded positively to one user's request for Linux games.