EA has just recently given out more information on their upcoming EA AntiCheat (EAAC), not to be confused with Easy Anti-Cheat (EAC), because EA are apparently terribly at naming.
In their new Deep Dive, they went over various details about their new EAAC and how it will affect their games. The first big note is that it will be kernel-mode, which is usually something that doesn't play nicely (or at all) with Linux and so this could be some bad news for the Steam Deck too. Not only that, it's an anti-tamper tech too.
Take FIFA 22 for example, it's playable on Linux and has a "Playable" Steam Deck rating. However, FIFA 23 will be launching in October and guess what? It will have EA's new AntiCheat. So, this might mean it won't work at all.
It won't end up in every game from EA though, as they said in the post they will work with each studio to determine their needs. It also mentions for some titles they may only use "user-mode protections" (no kernel-level stuff) or just not have any at all.
A worrying trend though, with more and more anti-cheat going kernel-side which is almost always developed just for Windows. It's problematic for another reason though, like the recent issue with Genshin Impact where the anti-cheat driver was abused to disable anti-virus.
What do you think to this news?
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
Kimyrielle Sep 13, 2022
Quotebecause EA are apparently terribly at naming.
Looking at Origin, they are terrible at coding too. Knowing EA, that stuff won't even run properly on Windows...
Personally, it won't affect me too much, as I have no interest in EA's games other than the Sims, which really has no need for anti-cheat. But I don't like the trend to apply band-aid solutions to cheating issues instead of designing the game to be cheat-resistant from the get-go. Particularly not when said band-aid solutions behave just like malware....
Quoting: KimyrielleParticularly not when said band-aid solutions behave just like malware....Perhaps it's just me, but in my books they meet the exact definition of it. It's like nobody learned from the music industry's Windows rootkit nonsense 20-odd years ago, or something.
I dunno, like it only protects you from low level cheaters unless you pay more: auto-aim protection upgrade and the like
QuoteA worrying trend though, with more and more anti-cheat going kernel-side which is almost always developed just for Windows.Just like most other malware. Ultimate goals may be slightly different, but the methods employed by these kernel-level anti-cheat systems are exactly the same as rootkits: take control of the system, hide its presence, prevent its removal, disable competing malware.
If you want to mess around on kernel level, you gotta convince me why i should and that i can trust you.
Quoting: elgatilSince it comes from EA I have to ask, do we know if it has abusive micro transactions embedded?
You mean something like Pay2Cheat?
hardpenguin Sep 13, 2022
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