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: consthttps://www.gamingonlinux.com/articles/how-to-be-a-great-advocate-for-a-niche-gaming-platform.12006Still a great article, many people should bookmark it.
Perhaps they are pausing, because their responsible devs are working on a Proton solution.
Calm down people. There is really not enough information to get mad at EPIC, Sweeny or whom ever.
Last edited by einherjar on 6 May 2019 at 2:16 pm UTC
Arehandoro May 6, 2019
Quoting: GuestBefore jumping to conclusions, shouldn't we all go outside and take a good deep breath of fresh air to calm down ? We will have more accurate news later. We will have to wait and be patient.
But that way is less fun! :P
Quoting: LeerdeckSo the only source is a comment from Garry Newman. Saw this article posted on /games with all the extra drama shitshow in the comments. I mean you could have wait for a actual response from EAC for confirmation before people lose their shit in the comment sections and post crazy conspiracy theories...Really, hardly anyone is losing their shit in the comment sections except the people ranting about "crazy conspiracy theories".
Incidentally, rule of thumb on what is and is not a conspiracy theory: It's not actually about whether you're describing people conspiring or having motivations they aren't disclosing, because both of those things happen a lot and don't in themselves make a theory implausible.
If the theory includes a question mark in the line before "Profit!" it's a conspiracy theory.
Last edited by Purple Library Guy on 6 May 2019 at 4:17 pm UTC
The most probable in their intentions are maximum profits now, so everything related to linux may be dropped by epic and children companies due to revenues, not because they want to kill linux.
Wait and see if rocket league has more linux updates or not..
Last edited by sigz on 6 May 2019 at 4:34 pm UTC
chris.echoz May 6, 2019
Quoting: GuestCan't Epic Games just die somewhere lonely in a corner?Nothing of value would be lost.
Quoting: liamdaweQuoting: LeerdeckSo the only source is a comment from Garry Newman. Saw this article posted on /games with all the extra drama shitshow in the comments. I mean you could have wait for a actual response from EAC for confirmation before people lose their shit in the comment sections and post crazy conspiracy theories...It took EAC a long time to reply to me last time, I am hoping with this circling around they might be quicker and/or reassess Linux support if they actually were pausing it. There's many good reasons for getting info out early, I don't expect everyone to understand this right away.
This sounds like your motivation to publish that soon was at least partially a tiny bit of a personal payback. I guess granting them a few business days to respond would have been a tiny bit more sensible. ;)
Last edited by jens on 6 May 2019 at 7:20 pm UTC
Edit: And honestly, it's better I get in early than let everyone get their info from YouTubers doing titles on their videos like "Epic, This Is INSANE… | Attacking Valve’s Project PROTON, KILLING Rust On Linux & Damaging Gaming" and yes that's an actual video title.
Last edited by Liam Dawe on 6 May 2019 at 7:44 pm UTC
Quoting: liamdaweNothing personal at all don't know where you're getting that idea. I didn't even hint at it.Thanks for clarifying. I thought that I had read a tiny bit of disappointment that your earlier question had been initially ignored.
Quoting: liamdaweEdit: And honestly, it's better I get in early than let everyone get their info from YouTubers doing titles on their videos like "Epic, This Is INSANE… | Attacking Valve’s Project PROTON, KILLING Rust On Linux & Damaging Gaming" and yes that's an actual video title.Yeah, sure, I prefer your articles anytime over something like this. I get that timing is not that easy in your business.
Quoting the tweet directly omits the context!
Regardless of the fact that I don't like the guy for his current actions either, he didn't mention that to make Linux bad. Sweeney has been upset about the limitations (Windows Paywall) that MS is planning for Windows:
-> https://twitter.com/TimSweeneyEpic/status/964043031715467264
In the following he has only taken up the answer of another tweeter to it:
QuoteONE TWO THREE
@_photex_
Time for Linux! or FreeBSD! I don't care, but let's all just start pooling resources and giving our money to these foundations instead.
That one has suggested switching to Linux. And Sweeney then with his answer wanted to say that a change of platform ("(...)Installing Linux is sort ... moving to canada (...)") does not prevent the emerging restrictions under Windows. And that one should defend the currently still "existing freedom" under Windows against the restrictions by Microsoft ("(...) Nope, we've got to fight for the freedoms we have today, (...)").
In context it looks a bit different.
Last edited by KuJo on 6 May 2019 at 8:25 pm UTC
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