Easy Anti-Cheat are apparently "pausing" their Linux support, which could be a big problem (updated)
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.
Quoting: callciferMaybe you could reach out to some developers who decided against a Linux port and ask them - off the record - their impressions of the community. I bet it won't be sunshines and rainbows.
And you agree with that "impression"? Linux gamer community isn't different in anyway to Windows gamer community IMHO. In fact many of the claims you read in this thread against Epic are the same that you will read in a Windows gamer forum.
Unless you really believe that we give such impression, I think that you have a very childish argument if you think that making Linux gamers feel "ashamed" will change their opinion regarding Epic.
And given the fact that Epic owns easy anti cheat, and their CEO's love for Microsoft Windows, it's not a big mystery whats going on.
Last edited by Zaxth on 6 May 2019 at 1:14 am UTC
TheRiddick May 6, 2019
Certainly feels like there is a cold war going on against Linux atm... And companies are trying to make games into a services where nobody owns anything and they can pull the cord at anytime, even kill software from existence... concerning.
Last edited by TheRiddick on 6 May 2019 at 1:43 am UTC
qptain Nemo May 6, 2019
Quoting: callciferI personally know multiple developers who decided against a Linux version of their games because they saw how the "community" behaved on other games.
Quoting: callciferWhen Windows gamers get "heated" the developers don't have the luxury to stop supporting them. That's not the case for Linux. "I want to, but it's not worth the drama" is an exact phrase I've heard.I don't know why you would bring that up. You cannot seriously expect everybody to respect this decision making. Because I absolutely do not respect it on any level. That is a terrible rationale for a bad decision.
Kimyrielle May 6, 2019
With proton there was a giant leap taken, was it too big for everything to catch up?
Before proton, we got some great triple A titles here and there. We could handle it. Now the amount of announcements or releases of those titles have decreased. At least that's my feeling. And even worse, we hear lots of "news" that Linux support is dropped, will be dropped or "paused". Some of them caused by Epic and their exclusives, cutting us off even from titles that work with proton.
We can play now many single player titles, especially thanks to proton, more than we have time to play... but with more titles our demand also increases, especially for multiplayer titles. And most (big) games make the (big) money with multiplayer... but we are cut off... yeah, I have a bad feeling for Linux gaming in the near future. If we lose that little momentum we had, Linux gaming will stagnate, and stagnation means rip.
Sorry to sound that pessimistic, I'm just starting to worry more and more with all those negative news...
Well, let's say something....
...something about AR. >> Why Epic Games called an open platform truce with Microsoft (Venture Beat)
**Take off tinfoil hat**
Honestly, I'm not affected at all, (apologies to GoL users who online gamers).
But I hope this shitty moves will make more developers to build more LAN and split-screen option games for PC in general and especially for Linux gamers.
jasondaigo May 6, 2019
solved
Quoting: callciferBecause the business case for EAC supporting Linux is no different today than it was a month ago, with or without Epic.But without Epic no one at Kamu seemed to care. Supporting Linux does not mean violating natural laws. Also it's not forbidden. Also I don't think it's economic damage either. An anti-cheat system must work on many different platforms and should be designed to do so.
Last edited by 0aTT on 6 May 2019 at 6:48 am UTC
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