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I want to buy Rome Total War 2 before it's released because it's currently 50% off.

However, at the screen, it only shows a Windows symbol for the OS.

If I buy it now, will it only be for Windows? Or can I purchase the game once and use it on multiple operating systems?

Please provide a link that describes this policy.

Here is the announcement that it's coming to linux. Does that help?

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  • possible duplicate of If I buy a game or DLC on one computer via Steam, can I play it on another?. Also related: This and this
    – Billy Mailman
    Commented Dec 29, 2013 at 23:18
  • What "policy"? Either the company that makes the game decides to support multiple OSes, or they don't. How can Steam have a policy on the matter?
    – Oblivious Sage
    Commented Dec 30, 2013 at 0:06
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    @ObliviousSage The "policy" is that which describes whether RTW 2 can be purchased while only Windows is available then played on linux without having to repurchase. I never said it was steam's policy only, but they could have any policy they want since it's their service.
    – user65278
    Commented Dec 30, 2013 at 1:26
  • @BillyMailman Thank you, but those don't seem to ask exactly what I'm asking. RTW2 is currently only available for Windows, so one could reasonably presume I'm buying for Windows. I won't download, register, etc while it's Windows yet will wait for linux. Will buying while only Windows is available be irrelevant when the linux version comes out; in other words, do I have to pay for it twice since I'm presumably buying the Windows version.
    – user65278
    Commented Dec 30, 2013 at 1:31

2 Answers 2

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If it becomes available for Linux, then you won't have to purchase it a second time; there is no guarantee that it will come to Linux, though, which means you'll only be ably to play it on Windows (or possibly with WINE).

Steam Play is how valve refers to cross platform games. It looks like every cross platform game that is available is a Steam Play game, which means that if you buy it on one platform, you can play the game on any platform that it's available for. But as I said, the game needs to be released for Linux for that to happen.

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    Multi-platform games do not have to support Steam Play, but pretty much all of them do. The only counter-example I know of is the Mac version of codblops.
    – a cat
    Commented Dec 29, 2013 at 23:31
  • Do you know if RTW2 will be a Steam Play game? @lunboks Do you know? Thank you guys so much in advance!
    – user65278
    Commented Dec 30, 2013 at 1:29
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    @user65278 We are not psychic. Questions about unreleased content, such as a Linux version of a game that does not currently have a Linux version, are off topic. We can answer questions about games that are actually out, but we have no way of knowing what developers will do in the future, so questions of that nature are not allowed here.
    – Oblivious Sage
    Commented Dec 30, 2013 at 1:34
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    @ObliviousSage Never said you were. There is this bit of PR, but I can find no confirmation. omgubuntu.co.uk/2013/11/… I'm not asking about any future policy. I'm only asking if there is a current policy. They've already stated their intent to release early '14.
    – user65278
    Commented Dec 30, 2013 at 1:38
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Steam's preffered set-up is that you buy a game once and you get it for every platform it is available on. When a game gets a new port it is normally just added to the existing game listing and existing owners can just install it.

However ultimately the publisher of the game is the one in control. Some games have Mac and Linux ports but steam only carries the windows version. At least one game has it's MAC version listed on steam as a seperate game that must be purchased seperately.

Given that Valve are promoting this game's Linux port I think it is extremely likely that if you buy the Windows version now then if/when the Linux port is released you will be able to download it at no extra charge but it cannot be gauranteed.

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