Irdeto, the company behind Denuvo and the newer Denuvo Anti-Cheat have announced that developers on Steam can now get direct anti-cheat integration through Steamworks. Denuvo is one of the most popular DRM solutions, with it often appearing in Windows releases of popular AAA games. Now with this Anti-Cheat easily available direct through Steam no doubt many developers will look to use it.
The question is: how will this affect Linux compatibility of games both native Linux builds and Windows games run through the Steam Play Proton compatibility layer? Back in May, we reported that the Denuvo team did mention they were aiming for support of Proton.
After shooting a message over to Irdeto here's what Reinhard Blaukovitsch, Managing Director of Denuvo by Irdeto, said in reply:
We can confirm that future deployments of Denuvo Anti-Cheat will not prohibit Linux users from accessing single-player and non-competitive multiplayer features of their games. For example, campaigns or custom multiplayer game matches. Linux users will not be required to install a kernel-mode driver, and the lack of anti-cheat software will not prevent their game from starting.
Even though there is no kernel-mode driver on Linux, the userspace game process performs significant cheat detection. Linux users accessing multiplayer will be reported to online services as running at lower integrity. Some game developers may choose to prevent Linux users from accessing ranked or competitive game modes. We'll do our best to convince developers and publishers to allow Linux users to participate in competitive modes. Still, we must be honest with them and disclose our reduced detection capability on Linux.
We'll communicate concrete plans for growing Linux detection capability and how the community can contribute as our userbase grows.
In a further clarification to us, we asked if this was only for Windows games in the Proton compatibility layer or if it will have the same kind of support for native Linux builds to which they replied "This is for Windows games in Proton".
When asked for their plans (if any) to support native Linux builds of games, here's what they said:
We have not yet been engaged by an organization expressing interest in native anti-cheat support for Linux. Once there is demand, we’d have no hesitation to take on that task. It’s worth noting that we’ve had anti-cheat technology on consoles for many years now. Our experience with Linux-like environments on the Nintendo Switch and Sony PlayStation 4 & 5 indicates that effective native Linux anti-cheat would require a from-the-ground-up effort and not just a port. Denuvo Anti-Cheat is heavily dependent on hardware security features which makes it fairly kernel-agnostic, so it’s just a matter of ‘when’ not ‘if’. Our best bang-for-the-buck in the short term is Proton.
So there you have it. If demand comes, they will do it too and it's only a matter of time. Nice to see them being so open about it and happy to chat with us on it so clearly.
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
Quoting: oldominionWhat anti-cheat is WoW using? I mean we can play it for years on Linux without problems and there is competetive gaming too in the PvP area.
They use their own, and they know people using Linux or Not. Seem Linux user so far not making problem for them so far.
Last edited by Lomkey on 19 January 2021 at 7:45 pm UTC
Quoting: PublicNuisanceSo this is where we are in Linux gaming ? Getting in bed with intrusive DRM is met with cheers ? Guess I can't be shocked we're no better than the rest of the PC gaming platform on that regard. I was already more willing to support Itch.io or GOG for their DRM practices and I see this news as strengthening that and pushing me farther away from Steam. It's bad enough they allow games on their store to use Denuvo but to bake it into Steamworks is a worse step not a better one. They have the market and the clout to fight against this nonsense but it just shows they value money above all else which is something that those who say they love Linux should start opening their eyes to.
we have to lose some battles in order to win "the war".
epic games "fighting against exclusivity" and monopolization of pc games.
cdpr/gog fighting against drm.
valve fighting against the windows monopoly
everyone "fighting" in different fronts, helping gog will make steam weaker, helping steam will make gog weaker, we have to pick our poison.
i think we should let the fight against drm with the windows users, while we fight for linux marketshare, we can join they in their fight later on, but we dont have enough people/resources to fight in both fronts at the same time.
run today, live to fight tomorrow.
Quoting: elmapulepic games "fighting against exclusivity" and monopolization of pc games.
That's a strange one, given Epic are signing exclusive contracts. They are on the wrong side of things.
Last edited by Shmerl on 19 January 2021 at 8:04 pm UTC
Quoting: oldominionWhat anti-cheat is WoW using? I mean we can play it for years on Linux without problems and there is competetive gaming too in the PvP area.
we cant play in the official servers
Quoting: ShmerlQuoting: elmapulepic games "fighting against exclusivity" and monopolization of pc games.
That's a strange one, given Epic are signing exclusive contracts. They are on the wrong side of things.
according to then, they would stop it, if valve reduces their cut to 12%, wich didnt happened
Quoting: elmapulaccording to then, they would stop it, if valve reduces their cut to 12%, wich didnt happened
Well, I don't buy the argument of using anti-competitive methods by those who claim they are advancing competition. It's bunk.
Quoting: ZlopezIn case of anti-cheat, I'm not against using anti-cheat software server-side, but having it on client is actually not a good solution, especially if it prevents you to run the game in a few years or start it if you are not connected to some 3rd party server.
there is no perfect solution for anti cheat.
cloud games can solve part of the problem, but they cant fix the input faking side.
every anti cheat solution will be either useless or invasive by design.
o think the best solution is: let people make an local server if they want or connect to the official servers, if they dont want cheaters in their game, want to play with/against new players, match making etc.
slaapliedje Jan 19, 2021
Quoting: ElectricPrismConan Exiles does the same thing and asks if you want to launch with Battleeye.Quoting: Eike"Denuvo Anti-Cheat will not prohibit Linux users from accessing single-player and non-competitive multiplayer features of their games"
Ain't it great? It's anti-cheat - not anti-DRM! - and will not prohibit single player stuff!?!
Incredible, It's almost as if they understand Anti-Cheat should not necessarily be ANTI-CONSUMER too. Mind = Blown
I much prefer games that do it like Halo MCC where you literally are given the choice as consumer if you want to launch with anticheat disabled ( which I do so I can play on custom servers )
It's funny looking back, back in the 90s "cheats" used to be a "feature" you literally paid extra money for a players guide or game shark or whatever to get special new capabilities.
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