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PUBG's newer anti-cheat sounds problematic for the Steam Deck and Linux

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PUBG is currently a game that doesn't work at all on Linux due to anti-cheat, even with the Steam Deck coming it's sounding like a game that won't play nicely. Oh, it's also going free to play.

In their development letter posted on December 10, they outlined what they've been doing and their future plans for anti-cheat with PUBG. While previously PUBG relied on BattlEye, which does have Linux support and recently made it easy for developers to turn on support for Proton and the Steam Deck, their newer proprietary solution with Zakynthos is going to get more invasive and cause more problems.

Through 2022, they explained that one of the major adjustments coming would be the "Implementation of kernel drivers" and I'm sure I don't need to explain to any regular Linux gaming fans why this will be a problem. These kernel drivers are designed for Windows, and something Wine / Proton likely will just not work with.

So what's the hope for PUBG running on Linux / Proton and the Steam Deck? It's not looking good.

A shame, as it's consistently in the top 5 most played games on Steam.

Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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Ehvis Dec 13, 2021
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And I'm sure the majority of players will just accept this as normal. I'll let out a slight grin on the day we have our first major security breach due to these "anti-cheat" "solutions".
elmapul Dec 13, 2021
as if that was not bad enough:

https://www.theverge.com/2021/12/9/22827037/google-android-games-windows-pc-google-play-games

now, i know that steam games and android games arent the same, android has tons of casual games filled with lootboxes and micro transactions, while steam have the more traditional "games for gamers" type of games.

the issue is, we need linux to appeal to both publics, people who only play traditional games and people who play both types of games in order to reach an mainstream audience that we need to finally break the chicken and egg cycle problem.

steam deck seemed to be the thing that may change everything, but now we have better android emulators on windows than on linux, microsoft is making windows run android games and even google is trying to do the same.
sigh.
google should be spending money on chromeOS or stadia instead ihmo, but no, looks like they're giving up competing in that market and doing decisions that will backfire against the linux ecosystem again.

personaly i dont care about android games, i just hope that this wont affect the deck popularity enough to break the current trend of more and more things starting to work on linux (natively or via proton) and reverse it.

i mean, imagine if we start to have killer productivity apps like office, photoshop and maya, but apps that were born on mobile coming to windows, linux would suffer again, it already happened, sure it wont happen for things like image editors, but we already have new markets like youtube, substance paint etc.

and what is even worse, i foresee we will have hybrid apps using libraries exclusives to windows and android at the same program.
BielFPs Dec 13, 2021
Korean / Chinese games usually use an in house anticheat or something from an asian company, I'm surprised this wasn't the case yet.

Since this very popular game will be f2p, It'll be so much a "cheater's fest" to the point this isn't going to be a big lost for Linux gaming in my opinion.
Shmerl Dec 13, 2021
I'm sure Linux users usually understand better than Windows ones that running malware is a bad idea, even if it's labeled as "anti-cheat".
Lofty Dec 13, 2021
We can talk about market share, accessibility & compatibility all day long but the fact of the matter is, most anti-cheat is becoming essentially spyware bordering on malware. It's antithetical to what Linux is all about.
Linux is the equivalent to an open break away social-society running in parallel to a walled off industrial civilization. Trying to forge the two works for a while, but as ever it's either going to be 'EEE' or just simply the last 'E'.


Quoting: elmapulas if that was not bad enough:

steam deck seemed to be the thing that may change everything, but now we have better android emulators on windows than on linux, microsoft is making windows run android games and even google is trying to do the same.
sigh.google should be spending money on chromeOS or stadia instead ihmo, but no, looks like they're giving up competing in that market and doing decisions that will backfire against the linux ecosystem again.

i mean, imagine if we start to have killer productivity apps like office, photoshop and maya, but apps that were born on mobile coming to windows, linux would suffer again, it already happened, sure it wont happen for things like image editors, but we already have new markets like youtube, substance paint etc.

it's not just about markets which is about money , it's about collusion which is about power.
Mal Dec 13, 2021
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Call it what you want it, but that's Spyware. I don't see why anyone should put effort to support that on linux. I don't see added value, but damage here.

A shame for who likes the game, but if you have to make your pc insecure for it, make a Windows partition and use it to play pubg, while you use the Linux one for all the serious stuff like banking, shopping, play sensible games and so on.
scratchi Dec 13, 2021
Quoting: ShmerlI'm sure Linux users usually understand better than Windows ones that running malware is a bad idea, even if it's labeled as "anti-cheat".

Yup

Quoting: LoftyWe can talk about market share, accessibility & compatibility all day long but the fact of the matter is, most anti-cheat is becoming essentially spyware bordering on malware.

Agreed

Quoting: MalCall it what you want it, but that's Spyware. I don't see why anyone should put effort to support that on linux. I don't see added value, but damage here.

A shame for who likes the game, but if you have to make your pc insecure for it, make a Windows partition and use it to play pubg, while you use the Linux one for all the serious stuff like banking, shopping, play sensible games and so on.

Well said
elmapul Dec 13, 2021
Quoting: LoftyWe can talk about market share, accessibility & compatibility all day long but the fact of the matter is, most anti-cheat is becoming essentially spyware bordering on malware. It's antithetical to what Linux is all about.
Linux is the equivalent to an open break away social-society running in parallel to a walled off industrial civilization. Trying to forge the two works for a while, but as ever it's either going to be 'EEE' or just simply the last 'E'.

that time i gonna reply something else other than the reply to my own comment lol.

i think discussing anti cheat is a bit of a null point.
sure we shouldnt sacrifice freedom, but we can avoid DRM and anti cheat systems by geting informed on what games are using those techs and avoiding any game that use then.
the issue is: what about everyone else?

think about it: what do you prefer, everybody using linux, most of then not caring about issues like DRM and anti cheat systems running on their machines.

or everybody using windows most of then not caring about issues like DRM and anti cheat systems running on their machines?

if we cant get ride of all the layers at one, at least we should get ride of some of then.
nowadays there are a bunch of games that we cant play even if they dont even use DRM or anti cheat systems, and that was the case for most of the time in the past.

at least on linux privacy is an option, you are free to not install those games that spy on you or do other malicious behaviors, on windows even that isnt an option, the OS itself spy on you.

honestly i'm tired of this all or nothing aproach, if i have to wait one more year to play certain games, then i might as well go back to windows to never look back.
omer666 Dec 13, 2021
I don't mind having to pass on that one.
Lofty Dec 13, 2021
Quoting: elmapuli think discussing anti cheat is a bit of a null point.

sure we shouldnt sacrifice freedom, but we can avoid DRM and anti cheat systems by geting informed on what games are using those techs and avoiding any game that use then.
the issue is: what about everyone else?

think about it: what do you prefer, everybody using linux, most of then not caring about issues like DRM and anti cheat systems running on their machines.or everybody using windows most of then not caring about issues like DRM and anti cheat systems running on their machines?



Even then my answer is still Linux.
We have a better chance to inform people. Free software also encourages the application of free speech it isn't just about games but communication platforms themselves. Informing people on a closed platform could eventually become hard to impossible and outside of the 'terms and agreements'. It would suck having to be careful about what you type out on your licensed copy of their software.

Quoteat least on linux privacy is an option, you are free to not install those games that spy on you or do other malicious behaviors, on windows even that isnt an option, the OS itself spy on you.

True. But i don't think "discussing anti cheat is a bit of a null point." as you have said. Perhaps, on this site it is and that is not upto me. But as long as there is an outlet within which to inform people of the invasive layers that DRM/Anti-cheat goes to i will voice my opinion on it.

Quotehonestly i'm tired of this all or nothing approach, if i have to wait one more year to play certain games, then i might as well go back to windows to never look back

But you said yourself, you can choose to run anticheat or not. It's not an all or nothing approach, you just have to make a sacrifice in order to stand for the thing you believe in whatever that may be. If you believe a AAA game is more important than the issue itself then just use Windows or Dual boot.

Personally I won't encourage modern day anticheat's as they are mostly thinly veiled spyware (not all of them but a lot) .

Each to their own though.
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