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You might have seen recently that I covered the upcoming updates for Roblox, and now it's here blocking Wine with their new anti-cheat. This means you won't be able to play it on Linux any more, at all, unless you find some sort of special workaround.

Previously the roll-out of this update was being tested only with some users. Now though it's here for everyone giving a 64 bit client and introducing their Hyperion anti-cheat software which they are intentionally blocking Wine with. Naturally plenty of Roblox fans on Linux are upset by this, asking their team for updates on what their plans are.

In a fresh statement on their official developer forum one of their staff said this, in reply to users asking about updates in regards to Linux support:

Hi - thanks for the question. I definitely get where you’re coming from, and as you point out, you deserve a clear, good-faith answer. Unfortunately that answer is essentially “no.”

From a personal perspective, a lot of people at Roblox would love to support Linux (including me). Practically speaking, there’s just no way for us to justify it. If we release a client, we have to support it, which means QA, CS, documentation, etc., all of which is much more difficult on a fragmented platform. We release weekly on a half-dozen platforms. Adding in the time to test, debug, and release a Linux client would be expensive, which means time taken away from improving Roblox on our current platforms.

Even Wine support is difficult because of anti-cheat. As wonderful as it would be to allow Roblox under Wine, the number of users who would take advantage of that is minuscule compared with our other platforms, and it’s not worthwhile if it makes it easy for exploiters to cheat.

I’m sorry to be such a downer about this, but it’s the reality. We have to spend our time porting to and supporting the platforms that will grow our community.

Again, I’m personally sorry to have to say this. Way back in 2000 I had a few patches accepted into the kernel, and I led the port of Roblox game servers from Windows to Linux several years ago. From a technical and philosophical perspective, it would be a wonderful thing to do. But our first responsibility is to our overall community, and the opportunity cost of supporting a Linux client is far, far too high to justify.

They're clearly not going to be releasing a Native Linux build, which I think most people probably already knew, but at least previously they repeatedly said that Wine was a "priority" to support but now it doesn't sound as likely going by the above.

Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
Tags: Anti-Cheat, Misc, Wine
16 Likes
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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. Find me on Mastodon.
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44 comments
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Izaic May 9, 2023
That's how these changes generally seem to go. "Oh we broke wine? Oh well. But don't worry!" And then later after release: "Oops, time to worry! We justbwont be supporting Linux at all."
Teodosio May 9, 2023
1) This is why we should always ask for Native releases; Proton is just a fallback, marginally better than post-development ports;
2) Keep in mind that Steam provides a "Review" feature.


Last edited by Teodosio on 9 May 2023 at 10:22 am UTC
Pengling May 9, 2023
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Didn't the previous report touch on them still allowing their game-creation tools to run through Wine, so that they can still profit from users invested in their platform? Is that still the case, or are they blocking that now too?
TheSHEEEP May 9, 2023
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"Linux kids saved from exploitative game & business practices"

Great news!
Mountain Man May 9, 2023
Quoting: IzaicThat's how these changes generally seem to go. "Oh we broke wine? Oh well. But don't worry!" And then later after release: "Oops, time to worry! We justbwont be supporting Linux at all."
This doesn't sound like they accidentally broke Roblox on Wine, but, rather, they intentionally stopped it from working.
Whitewolfe80 May 9, 2023
Quoting: Teodosio1) This is why we should always ask for Native releases; Proton is just a fallback, marginally better than post-development ports;
2) Keep in mind that Steam provides a "Review" feature.

Well that just means no games then as native games are not coming anytime soon at least from triple a studios
StoneColdSpider May 9, 2023
QuoteGoodbye to Roblox on Linux with their new anti-cheat and Wine blocking
CatKiller May 9, 2023
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Quoteit’s not worthwhile if it makes it easy for exploiters to cheat.
That's a hell of an assumption right there.
StalePopcorn May 9, 2023
Support!? SUPPORT!? They didn't "SUPPORT" Linux in the first place! There was never documentation for running their Windows client under WINE supplied by them and definitely no native client! They're taking advantage of the wording of the question to sidestep ALLOWING their Windows client to run via WINE, which means, as usual, the Linux COMMUNITY supports getting it to run.

I genuinely feel like Microsoft threw them a bone to have more people install Spyware/Adware Windows. They'd sell their mother's teeth for a buck!

I feel bad for my kids who really enjoyed playing that damned game, but they know I'm not installing Windows to appease an a-hole company's agenda.

Side note; it makes sense that, although it might work through a VM, users are suggesting not attempting with your main account in case it gets banned.


Last edited by StalePopcorn on 9 May 2023 at 12:02 pm UTC
Why do they specifically want to take this game away from so many people? "Sorry kids on Linux, we took the ability to play Roblox from you and there is nothing you can do about it haha!".

Why is this company like this!? Or is it possible that some other instance has influenced them behind the scenes?
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