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Update: Epic Games gave a response, it is not paused.

Original article:

I've just today been alerted to something that's quite worrying, according to Garry Newman from Facepunch Studios, Easy Anti-Cheat are "pausing" their Linux support.

As it turns out, Newman made this comment on Reddit on a submission that actually links back to my recent article about Rust. Newman said pretty clearly "The biggest issue as far as I can see is that EAC are pausing their Linux support, which is resulting in an increase in cheaters using the Linux version. This is a huge problem because it affects every other platform.".

This is the first I've heard of it and so it's quite alarming considering the amount of Linux games that actually use it like Rust, 7 Days to Die, Albion Online (which only recently started using it), Robocraft, Insurgency Sandstorm (which planned Linux support) and so on. Not just existing games but this will obviously cause major problems for any upcoming multiplayer game that was planning to support Linux if they were going to use EAC, as it might just cause them to drop Linux support.

Additionally, this could also cause even more problems for Valve's Steam Play although we don't know the full situation, they were supposed to be in talks to get Easy Anti-Cheat supported for it. This new information doesn't exactly give me confidence but perhaps Steam Play will be treated differently? Who knows.

Interestingly, Epic Games actually acquired the maker of Easy Anti-Cheat last year, so perhaps Linux is becoming a casualty of that? I'm not saying it is but it wouldn't surprise me.

I've reached out to Easy Anti-Cheat and Epic Games to find out what they have to say about it, if anything. Took EAC a while to reply last time and I don't expect an answer on a Sunday, so hold onto your hats. At least if it does turn out to be true, there's still VAC and BattlEye which do support Linux games as well as Steam Trust to come.

Frustratingly, this news also comes only recently after we found Vivox suggesting a developer drop Linux support. This makes me even more thankful that Valve are continuing to put resources into Linux, with things like Steam Play and funding developers across a multitude of other Linux-related projects and other open source software.

Hat tip to airspeedmph.

Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
Tags: Anti-Cheat, Misc
35 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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78 comments
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[email protected] May 5, 2019
Quoting: salamanderrakeI take that back, it just hit me, Minecraft still runs on Linux, MS still has their silly Linux on Windows stuff going, and MS doen't feel Linux as a threat, the only one that does is the Chinese gov', which owns 48% of Epic stock. The Chinese gov' can't force Linux to create backdoors into peoples software/OS as there is not central controlling body for Linux, and no for-profit company, like MS/Apple, whose finances are so dependent on sales in China that they would bend over backwards to appease the Chinese gov' just to get into that market.

The CCP has nothing to do with Epic stocks.
Shmerl May 5, 2019
In general, anti-cheat with invasive user monitoring is a bad idea. I'd just avoid games of that sort since it's not any better than some privacy violating DRM. Anti-cheat should be implemented on the server side, using AI methods of detecting behavioral patterns that constitute cheating (including non human activity like bots). In this sense, proper anti-cheat solution should not require any OS support on the client.


Last edited by Shmerl on 5 May 2019 at 10:33 pm UTC
Beamboom May 5, 2019
Quoting: garpuHrm. I wonder what this means for 7 Days to Die? You can choose to run without EAC, but a lot of servers require it. (Thankfully, a friend turned it off on hers for me. :) )

We (a bunch of friends at work) run a 7d2d server with EAC enabled, no problems for me playing on that one from my Linux machine.
Liam Dawe May 5, 2019
Quoting: RosieCode
Quoting: liamdawe
Quoting: RosieCodecan i first of just say that nothing is confirmed, and that its FP that has said this and i cant say they have much in the way of credibility recently.
There no reason to think a game developer, one so well known, would lie about this.

while i would like to agree, i cant say with recent events i can trust anything they say. but i would rather have all the information available before i start jumping down the necks of people with pitchforks and torches
By now, I would hope people would have a little decorum and not get pitchforks out against people, as it doesn't help us.

Quoting: Guest
Quoting: liamdawe
Quoting: RosieCodecan i first of just say that nothing is confirmed, and that its FP that has said this and i cant say they have much in the way of credibility recently.
There's no reason to think a game developer, one so well known, would lie about this.

All the same, please let us know if you hear anything more to confirm it. To be honest, considering the reputation of FP, I wondered if, while not a lie, it might have been something misinterpreted or exaggerated.

Frustrating that there's so little official word from the horse's mouth to make sure of where everything stands (a circumstance that's intentional, no doubt).
Of course, contacting EAC was the first thing I did and I will let everyone know if/when I get a reply.
bgh251f2 May 5, 2019
Quoting: liamdawe
Quoting: RosieCode
Quoting: liamdawe
Quoting: RosieCodecan i first of just say that nothing is confirmed, and that its FP that has said this and i cant say they have much in the way of credibility recently.
There no reason to think a game developer, one so well known, would lie about this.

while i would like to agree, i cant say with recent events i can trust anything they say. but i would rather have all the information available before i start jumping down the necks of people with pitchforks and torches
By now, I would hope people would have a little decorum and not get pitchforks out against people, as it doesn't help us.

Quoting: Guest
Quoting: liamdawe
Quoting: RosieCodecan i first of just say that nothing is confirmed, and that its FP that has said this and i cant say they have much in the way of credibility recently.
There's no reason to think a game developer, one so well known, would lie about this.

All the same, please let us know if you hear anything more to confirm it. To be honest, considering the reputation of FP, I wondered if, while not a lie, it might have been something misinterpreted or exaggerated.

Frustrating that there's so little official word from the horse's mouth to make sure of where everything stands (a circumstance that's intentional, no doubt).
Of course, contacting EAC was the first thing I did and I will let everyone know if/when I get a reply.

So I should store my pitchfork? But I just sharpened and cleaned it for use. :(
callcifer May 5, 2019
It's really funny how everyone already grabbed their pitchforks against Epic despite the whole connection being limited to a single line of unsubstantiated, irresponsible speculation by Liam.

No wonder why some companies aren't willing to engage with such a level-headed, well-mannered crowd...
Liam Dawe May 5, 2019
Quoting: callciferIt's really funny how everyone already grabbed their pitchforks against Epic despite the whole connection being limited to a single line of unsubstantiated, irresponsible speculation by Liam.

No wonder why some companies aren't willing to engage with such a level-headed, well-mannered crowd...
Ouch, sounds like I hit a nerve there. Don't blame me for others behaviour, that's ridiculous. As you said, it was a single line and I was very clearly speculating. Irresponsible? I will argue against that, considering Epic's recent behaviour and attitude towards Linux.


Last edited by Liam Dawe on 5 May 2019 at 6:09 pm UTC
jens May 5, 2019
  • Supporter
Quoting: liamdaweBy now, I would hope people would have a little decorum and not get pitchforks out against people, as it doesn't help us.

I love your optimism ;). I'm not that sure people will remember "innocent until proven guilty". May be on this site, but I have my doubts about others...

PS: Thanks a lot for reaching out and trying to gather facts!
gradyvuckovic May 5, 2019
Stuff like this just increases the amount of appreciation I have for Valve sticking firmly in our corner and supporting us.
callcifer May 5, 2019
Quoting: liamdaweDon't blame me for others behaviour, that's ridiculous. As you said, it was a single line and I was very clearly speculating. Irresponsible?
You deliberately fanned the flames despite having no evidence whatsoever, surely it's no surprise to you that people picked up on it?

Quoting: liamdaweI will argue against that, considering Epic's recently behaviour and attitude towards Linux.
Seriously, what attitude towards Linux? I sure hope you are not talking about that one Canada tweet from years ago. It's no different than the people still linking to the Halloween documents whenever the word Microsoft shows up anywhere.

Epic today are even offering free money to Lutris via their grants program, which is a great thing, just ask the Lutris devs. The fact that Epic doesn't release a Linux version of their client right now is no surprise. They are trying to gain foothold against an incumbent giant and there is no business case for spending resources on what is maybe 1% of the market. If it was my company, I wouldn't do it either until way later, when I had sure footing in the market.

But hey, I only work in this industry, what do I know...
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