I am excited to see where gaming on Linux is headed, but sadly, many big shot game developers do not seem to look at it the same way, and the platform is usually ignored as a result.
The most glaring pain point for Linux gamers is kernel-level anti-cheat software like Easy Anti-Cheat, BattlEye, and Vanguard, where the game developers do not add support for Linux, resulting in bans or the games' refusal to run.
Electronic Arts (EA) did something similar recently with Battlefield 1, where Linux and Steam Deck users were booted off after they implemented their new kernel-level anti-cheat.
Unfortunately, it looks like they're not stopping there.
Apex Legends Bans Linux Gamers
Apex Legends is a popular, fast-paced, free-to-play battle royale game developed by Respawn Entertainment, a subsidiary of EA. Its developers recently announced that going forward, players on Linux and Steam Deck won't be able to play the game anymore.
According to EA (publisher of the game), they think that “the openness of the Linux operating systems makes it an attractive one for cheaters and cheat developers”, and that detecting cheats on Linux is harder, with many cases of Windows cheats being emulated on Linux to subvert detection/prevention.
After “weighing” the decision and comparing the number of legit players on Linux/Steam Deck against the “greater health of the population of players for Apex”, they decided that the player base on Linux was insignificant enough to be cut off.
On the situation, security analyst at Respawn Entertainment, Conor Ford, nonchalantly added that:
I use an Ally X which runs windows and out performs the steam deck! Check that out if you are serious about competing on a handheld
— Conor Ford / Hideouts (@RSPN_Hideouts) October 31, 2024
This shows how much Respawn Entertainment and their people care about players on Linux or the Steam Deck.
With views like this rampant in the gaming industry as a whole, it's no wonder gaming on Linux suffers.
Closing Thoughts
Looking at the recent happenings, it is almost as if these big gaming corporations like EA and Rockstar are deliberately kneecapping support for Linux, despite the fact they never really bothered to support the platform officially in the first place.
They say that they are doing so to deter cheaters, but the various kernel-level cheats are known for failing, with some calling it the next tech disaster waiting to happen. I have even seen such anti-cheats fail in games like Counter Strike 2, Rainbow Six Siege, and even Apex Legends.
Do we see cheaters going away by banning Linux as a platform? No. So, I am not so sure what they are trying to achieve here 😕
In the end, gamers on Linux (Steam Deck) are the ones who lose here, not the cheat developers; they always find a way to cheat in multiplayer games, irrespective of the platform.
💬 Did you play Apex Legends on your Linux PC or Steam Deck? Let me know your thoughts!
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