Valve about Left 4 Dead 2: Linux (Ubuntu 12.04) version runs faster than the Windows version

Weeks ago, Valve published a hugely important statement, announcing that Steam and Left 4 Dead 2 are coming to Ubuntu 12.04, adding themselves to the already existing Ubuntu's "wave" of popular games enrichment.

After the announcement, obviously, the Valve developers have started working on refining, testing, tweaking, developing, etc, parts of their game stack, bundle of development actions oriented towards Linux (Ubuntu), probably with the end goal to deliver zero-compromise fully usable properly optimized games for Ubuntu 12.04 LTS.

According to Valve's official blog, the results (across the development cycle) are exciting and full-of-surprises.

Taking a solid computer (Intel Core i7 3930k, NVIDIA Geforce GTX 680, 32 GB RAM) and using both Windows 7 Service Pack 1 64-bit and Ubuntu 12.04 32-bit, in order to test LEFT 4 Dead 2, the developer measured 270,6 FPS on Windows 7 and 315 FPS on Ubuntu, clearly demonstrating that Ubuntu is and can deliver a full-fledged platform for widely known game developers, where up-to-date powerful games are properly handled and utilized at full speed by Ubuntu 12.04 LTS.

The surprise definitely bears a gold mine-like attitude, when judging the above performance measurements "given the greater amount of time we have spent on the Windows version".

It is interesting, sometimes, to observe various widely known companies talking about Ubuntu and specific parts of Ubuntu, "testimonies" that acknowledge Ubuntu's both visible and under-the-hood components, starting with creative technologies (Ubuntu for Android, Ubuntu One, Ubuntu TV,etc) and also touching core Ubuntu pieces, that generate solid functionalities and power, as in the case of identifying the cause of the mentioned measurements, "however, it does speak to the underlying efficiency of the kernel and OpenGL".