You can sign up to get a daily email of our articles, see the Mailing List page.
We do often include affiliate links to earn us some pennies. See more here.

Well, looks like the previous excitement around Back 4 Blood and the Open Beta for Linux users is over, as it appears whatever they tweaked recently now stops Linux players with Steam Play Proton.

As we reported recently, apart from a few issues it actually worked quite nicely. Sadly, this seems to be another example of Easy Anti-Cheat blocking Linux users from enjoying a game on their systems. Even though it's currently only a Beta, it means it's not looking good for the full release in October.

This is a continuing problem for Steam Play Proton, with the likes of Easy Anti-Cheat and BattlEye usually blocking Linux users. Right now then, it looks like we're back onto the waiting game for whenever Valve releases a build of Proton that works with them, which we know they're working on since they already announced it with the Steam Deck.

It is of course a reminder of what can happen without developer support in some way, regardless of it being a native Linux build or a Windows game run through Proton - unless the developer is testing, there will be times when they break. Less likely for single-player games but quite likely an issue for multi-player. We're hopeful the Steam Deck will really pull developers in for regular compatibility testing.

Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
24 Likes
About the author -
author picture
I am the owner of GamingOnLinux. After discovering Linux back in the days of Mandrake in 2003, I constantly came back to check on the progress of Linux until Ubuntu appeared on the scene and it helped me to really love it. You can reach me easily by emailing GamingOnLinux directly.
See more from me
The comments on this article are closed.
35 comments
Page: 1/4»
  Go to:

Termy Aug 15, 2021
Another reason to put your money where your mouth is and support Linux-supporting devs instead of devs that don't care. (Personally, official support for proton is fine too)
kit89 Aug 15, 2021
A co-op game with anti-cheat, is it planning to be a persistent loot-drop game, or highly competitive?
nenoro Aug 15, 2021
I was mad when Alissa (modo from TRS) told me "the game shouldn't work on linux"

Honestly i'm really mad at them but i'm glad i haven't bought the game cause too expensive.

It was a good one day experience during the closed beta.

Quoting: kit89A co-op game with anti-cheat, is it planning to be a persistent loot-drop game, or highly competitive?

Well EAC was useless cause i joined a quick party with 3 players + 3 bots so this software prevents linux players but not real cheater.

there's not loot-drop and highly competitive remember they did evolve


Last edited by nenoro on 15 August 2021 at 10:33 am UTC
Liam Dawe Aug 15, 2021
Quoting: kit89A co-op game with anti-cheat, is it planning to be a persistent loot-drop game, or highly competitive?
It has a PvP mode in it too.
Spyker Aug 15, 2021
I knew it, because it was running with ProtonGE without any official announcement, it was certain that EAC check was deactivated server side for Linux users.
Nocifer Aug 15, 2021
I don't find it sad at all, rather I find it absolutely par of the course. That's because a) no anti-cheat solution officially works on Proton yet, and b) Valve is officially working with the anti-cheat solution vendors in order to make Proton officially compatible with them - and that's what really counts.

Until that point in time, there really is no point in trying to play games protected with anti-cheat via Proton and either hooraying when they happen to work or crying when they most often do not.

What will be actually sad is if the Steam Deck's launch day arrives without Valve having already managed to secure and implement official anti-cheat support into Proton.

Key word in all of the above: OFFICIAL. Even if it technically works, there is no point in playing a game with anti-cheat via Proton if one risks getting themselves banned due to it being considered as unsanctioned use (aka cheating) by the game company.

Patience, people.


Last edited by Nocifer on 15 August 2021 at 12:08 pm UTC
Bogomips Aug 15, 2021
Needing an anti cheat solution in itself is sad. But instead of relying on a third party solution game developers could build a cheat aware code from the start.

An example of what I mean is, in a FPS, why send the position of all the players to a client, when it could be sent only when in the FOV (visible by the client camera). Back in CS:S it was resource intensive server side because it was a third party addon.

But I fully understand that it is time consuming and out of the mind of studios (I have few friends in the industry and sometimes decisions from above are complete nonsense for the developers like reusing game engine from other games that are absolutely not built for the task).
Basiani Aug 15, 2021
First day, when some stupid guyes Reddited that news only I was a person who said that was EARLY ACCESS of game, but noone listened me, this dumbasses just down voted me and thay was so happy their illiterate dumb brain made holy boolshit information: "This is first step of EAC supppot for Proton".
If game developer not says that thay will support Proton, where the hell you are prooving others that this happens?
Believe it or not, noone cares Linux. If they want that, THEY WILL SAY IT!
Linux has very tiny marketshare and dual booters are shitting there.


Last edited by Basiani on 15 August 2021 at 1:12 pm UTC
M@GOid Aug 15, 2021
Quoting: kit89A co-op game with anti-cheat, is it planning to be a persistent loot-drop game, or highly competitive?

Even on coop cheaters can ruin the experience. The minimum they can do is make impossible kills and pose as the grand master. The worst is just be there to annoy others and avoid retaliation. I have encountered cheaters in L4D2 that jumped in a session just to team kill others and quit. And the bastard was using some really advanced scripts, because he could even copy your nickname and cause confusion before finishing his "work".

Mind you that Valve do have a anti-cheat system, but it worth nothing, as countless CS fans know.
M@GOid Aug 15, 2021
I played it yesterday and sincerely, it felt more like a Call of Duty in zombie mode than a true and worthy successor to the L4D series. The control scheme is bad, the game is way heavier than it should (another Unreal Engine victim. Small teams should not be allowed to use it...) and the whole game feels soulless, like, despise the name of the studio, none of the original team members touched this new game.

They already had a bad reception on the Steam reviews. They better introduce drastic measures to contain the damage AND review their price policy, otherwise this one will be a financial flop.


Last edited by M@GOid on 15 August 2021 at 5:02 pm UTC
While you're here, please consider supporting GamingOnLinux on:

Reward Tiers: Patreon. Plain Donations: PayPal.

This ensures all of our main content remains totally free for everyone! Patreon supporters can also remove all adverts and sponsors! Supporting us helps bring good, fresh content. Without your continued support, we simply could not continue!

You can find even more ways to support us on this dedicated page any time. If you already are, thank you!
The comments on this article are closed.