Denuvo Anti-Cheat to support Steam Play Proton, being removed from DOOM Eternal

Wow, just wow.

I mean, a kernel-level anti-cheat is still essentially a rootkit, whether it supports Proton or not, but it is nice to see that we are noticed.

We know for a fact that the anti-cheat itself won't support Proton. There's no way they will bother to create a kernel module to replace their rootkit, not to mention even if they did the kernel module would become incompatible in no time. The best they can do is either fall back to a higher trust mode or just disable multiplayer while allowing games to start. Or it's just words to get over this particular PR blunder.

These programs are basically useless, I gave up on Rust and PUBG, because it was still full of cheaters.
I wish these will support Proton in the future, I would like to play some competitive FPS with my friends while sticking to Linux.

The game is junk anyway compared to Doom 2016


Last edited by andy155 on 21 May 2020 at 9:41 am UTC

Quoting: keanThese programs are basically useless, I gave up on Rust and PUBG, because it was still full of cheaters.
I wish these will support Proton in the future, I would like to play some competitive FPS with my friends while sticking to Linux.

Feels to me like the point of those "anticheats" is not to get rid of cheaters at all... I wonder what their real purpose could be 🤔

Fantastic news!

I think that anticheat should be AI based on server side, with help from user report.

But IMO is valid new ideas of anticheat, even more intrusive approach if it's optional (only for multiplayer) and if they are transparent in what they are doing, because cheaters destroys the experience from others players.


I hope that more devs look at Linux as a viable platform.

Just a question: how a kernel level anticheat can run on Proton? Isn't this safer than run on Windows itself?

I am very interested to see how exactly Denuvo handle supporting Proton 'OOTB' with their AntiCheat solution. I'm going to be pretty keenly awaiting the first game that pops up using it.

I'm kinda expecting that Denuvo AntiCheat will detect that it's running in Proton, then inform the user they need to download and install something separately, not 'in Wine' but to their actual PC, perhaps a kernel level Linux anticheat system that does the same job, detecting the game's process (running in Wine) and detecting any tampering.

If that's how it works, it will be interesting to see how many Linux gamers are OK with installing it.

I don't even know what kernel level means in the context of wine/proton.

Quoting: andy155The game is junk anyway compared to Doom 2016

and why is that?

Quoting: rkfg

Quoting: keanThese programs are basically useless, I gave up on Rust and PUBG, because it was still full of cheaters.
I wish these will support Proton in the future, I would like to play some competitive FPS with my friends while sticking to Linux.

Feels to me like the point of those "anticheats" is not to get rid of cheaters at all... I wonder what their real purpose could be 🤔

It's snake oil for publishers.

Quoting: soulsource

Quoting: rkfg

Quoting: keanThese programs are basically useless, I gave up on Rust and PUBG, because it was still full of cheaters.
I wish these will support Proton in the future, I would like to play some competitive FPS with my friends while sticking to Linux.

Feels to me like the point of those "anticheats" is not to get rid of cheaters at all... I wonder what their real purpose could be 🤔

It's snake oil for publishers.

Paranoia is fun. No, here the point IS to get rid of cheaters. You're thinking of DRM. Doom Eternal already uses Denuvo DRM, which, yes, is to make the pulbishers/shareholders happy. Denuvo anticheat is a different thing entirely.

Quoting: SamsaiWe know for a fact that the anti-cheat itself won't support Proton. There's no way they will bother to create a kernel module to replace their rootkit, not to mention even if they did the kernel module would become incompatible in no time. The best they can do is either fall back to a higher trust mode or just disable multiplayer while allowing games to start. Or it's just words to get over this particular PR blunder.

In one of the Denuvo PR blurbs defending their actions, they said the software was only done at a kernel level so they can get access to security features offered by the physical CPU. I don't know what features they were referring to, but it could be possible that these same hardware features are accessible to user space on Linux, so it only requires changes to Proton to function. That is a bit of a leap though.

Quoting: SilverCode

Quoting: SamsaiWe know for a fact that the anti-cheat itself won't support Proton. There's no way they will bother to create a kernel module to replace their rootkit, not to mention even if they did the kernel module would become incompatible in no time. The best they can do is either fall back to a higher trust mode or just disable multiplayer while allowing games to start. Or it's just words to get over this particular PR blunder.

In one of the Denuvo PR blurbs defending their actions, they said the software was only done at a kernel level so they can get access to security features offered by the physical CPU. I don't know what features they were referring to, but it could be possible that these same hardware features are accessible to user space on Linux, so it only requires changes to Proton to function. That is a bit of a leap though.

Sounds like diversion and distraction. I bet they just wanted to peek at arbitrary memory or intercept data. Also, even with how crappy Windows is as an operating system I honestly don't think Linux provides access to any security features in user-space that Windows doesn't. Basically, don't listen to a Denuvo rep because they are going to lie either intentionally or accidentally because they don't actually know how their software works.

Good to hear. That is all we need. A option to play the SP without the crap.

Quoting: andy155The game is junk anyway compared to Doom 2016

I would like to use his arguments why Doom Eternal is junk compared to Doom 2016 to substantiate why Doom 2016 is junk compared to Doom 1993. :)

"Denuvo Anti-Cheat will have Proton support out-of-the-box for releases beyond DOOM: Eternal. Feel free to @ me directly with feedback once you had a chance to try it. I'm happy access is restored for you guys."

holy shit, that is great news and at the same time, i dont know... their ring 0 backdoor working on linux sounds bad to me.

Pleased with their response. It can’t just have been Proton users review bombing it, why does it affect the Windows community so much? Also out of interest Denuvo not working would also affect Stadia wouldn’t it?

Quoting: musojon74Pleased with their response. It can’t just have been Proton users review bombing it, why does it affect the Windows community so much? Also out of interest Denuvo not working would also affect Stadia wouldn’t it?

Stadia does not not need Denuvo since it's both piracy-proof and cheat/tamper proof.

Also, Windows users are upset because they too don't like software having kernel level access to their systems. Some users have even reported that the game just stopped working entirely after the update.

Well, that'll be nice if they do support Proton in a near future along with EasyAntiCheat

That's good news.
One question, what games does use denuvo anticheat more them Doom ethernal?