Well, here's another game that EA will be breaking on Steam Deck / Linux, with EA anticheat rolling out to EA SPORTS WRC when it goes live in June.
Pictured - EA SPORTS WRC, credit: Codemasters / EA.
It's worth noting that it's currently rated as Steam Deck Unsupported, but Valve's official rating is only what they've actually tested, not if something will actually work at all (like the Ghost of Tsushima situation). As announced on the EA website post, this change will arrive with the 1.9.0 update in June but they've haven't given the exact date just yet.
They are at least aware of Steam Deck as they said:
Additionally, EA SPORTS™ WRC will not run on the native Steam OS for Steam Deck following the release of EA anticheat.
EA SPORTS™ WRC has officially been categorised as "Unsupported" on Steam Deck since its release in 2023.
The game actually has a Platinum rating on ProtonDB, the crowd-sourced user-reports website, because it does run quite well from various reports on both Linux PCs and Steam Deck. So presumably this will break the entire game, not just multiplayer, since EA anticheat will run from the moment you hit play.
Sadly this follows on from Battlefield V and Plants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare 2 that added it after release. Along with other titles including EA SPORTS FC 24, EA SPORTS FIFA 23, Battlefield 2042 and Madden NFL 24 that all have it. I actually wrote back in September 2022 how EA anticheat could end up problematic and it's a shame to see I was right.
I'm just waiting for it to inevitably get added to Apex Legends, although that recently had a small hiccup when moving from the old Easy Anti-Cheat to the newer EOS anti-cheat but it still works for now since both types of EAC are supported on Linux / Steam Deck.
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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Mohandevir 18 May 2024
EA?! Who's that?! 
2 Likes, Who?
Damn, I bought this recently after playing Art of Rally and wanting to try a AAA Rally Sim.. I've been enjoying it too, so this is a real shame :(
1 Likes, Who?
I'd like to make a note here:
Dirt Rally 1 and Dirt Rally 2.0 both are better games, with better physics and content, and are both available for a few bucks on any good key retailer- and both run gloriously on both desktop linux and the deck.
the first game, unlike the second, is also free of always-online nonsense, so it's my preferred version.
as always, these games from awful publishers with bad practices are rarely best in class anyways, so nothing of value was lost
The problem with Dirt Rally games, while they are very good games, is that they don't have the new WRC1 hybrid cars with boost and aero levels of this generation. As well as missing some iconic Rally locations and don't have the official drivers and teams.
KT WRC games that were released before EA got the license are quite decent games also. WRC9, 10 and Generations namely. Though they might not be as polished as Dirt Rally games, at least with the car sounds and stuff, they do have very well made stages and have official rally ones also.
2 Likes, Who?
Fired up the WRC Generations game today. Thatone has gotten quite a few patches since i last played... nvidia reflex stuff is also added which is nice. So i guess i can play this then to satisfy my WRC needs.Dumb question....... But how does WRC Generations compare to WRC 10..... besides the new hybrid cars of course..... How is the handling and stuff like that???.......
1 Likes, Who?
Fired up the WRC Generations game today. Thatone has gotten quite a few patches since i last played... nvidia reflex stuff is also added which is nice. So i guess i can play this then to satisfy my WRC needs.Dumb question....... But how does WRC Generations compare to WRC 10..... besides the new hybrid cars of course..... How is the handling and stuff like that???.......
Its pretty much same, with tiny improvements... 9 is a bit more arcadey feeling on gravel at least... 10 is pretty decent and generations has just tiny improvements. Tarmac has been better in KT WRC games than in dirt rallies. Generations at least i feel like has the car weight is more accurate. Cars are heavy..ofc new hybrid cars are heavier, so maybe thatswhy also.
1 Likes, Who?
What are some solutions to anti-cheat on
Linux?
Grow Linux so that it's too big a market for anyone to decide to just ignore. That's it; that's the only solution.
If only that happened over 20 years ago because at this point, Linux will never reach a large market at the rate it's going.
0 Likes
Kimyrielle 19 May 2024
What are some solutions to anti-cheat on
Linux?
Grow Linux so that it's too big a market for anyone to decide to just ignore. That's it; that's the only solution.
If only that happened over 20 years ago because at this point, Linux will never reach a large market at the rate it's going.
Huh? Our market-share seemed to have exploded last year, after endless years of hovering just around 1%. This is probably in large part thanks to the Steam Deck, and we're already getting noticed by more developers, just not the ones whose games you probably don't want to buy anyway (EA, Ubi...)
1 Likes, Who?
Given that the game launched without the EA App/account stuff I was hoping whatever remnants was left of Codemasters had some clout within EA to stop this nonsense.
I was wrong. Never bet against EA doing awful stuff.
I was wrong. Never bet against EA doing awful stuff.
2 Likes, Who?
I'd like to make a note here:Or possibly going back even further.
Dirt Rally 1 and Dirt Rally 2.0 both are better games, with better physics and content, and are both available for a few bucks on any good key retailer- and both run gloriously on both desktop linux and the deck.
the first game, unlike the second, is also free of always-online nonsense, so it's my preferred version.
as always, these games from awful publishers with bad practices are rarely best in class anyways, so nothing of value was lost
Richard Burns Rally (twenty years old now) have ongoing fan made online events and lots of new stages (there's even a stage editor based on Blender!) thanks to modders.
1 Likes, Who?
Or possibly going back even further.RBR is great...... And its awesome to see the online side of it still going strong......
Richard Burns Rally (twenty years old now) have ongoing fan made online events and lots of new stages (there's even a stage editor based on Blender!) thanks to modders.
For more singleplayer focused gamers theres also the original Colin McRae Rally series...... Which is a bit more accessible than RBR while still being really good fun.....
Point being there are still plenty of options out there and its easy to say "No" to a company thats screwing you over and play something else......
I believe you have also played Rally Trophy in the past too......
1 Likes, Who?
What are some solutions to anti-cheat on
Linux?
Grow Linux so that it's too big a market for anyone to decide to just ignore. That's it; that's the only solution.
If only that happened over 20 years ago because at this point, Linux will never reach a large market at the rate it's going.
Huh? Our market-share seemed to have exploded last year, after endless years of hovering just around 1%. This is probably in large part thanks to the Steam Deck, and we're already getting noticed by more developers, just not the ones whose games you probably don't want to buy anyway (EA, Ubi...)
While it's great that Steam Deck has helped with increasing the marketshare, it still pales in comparison to Windows and unless Linux reaches levels that make it compelling enough for these companies to invest in creating solutions for their anti-cheat software, they don't care enough to deal with it and instead, block access without trying.
0 Likes
pleasereadthemanual 20 May 2024
A 100% increase in market share in 2 years isn't bad.What are some solutions to anti-cheat on
Linux?
Grow Linux so that it's too big a market for anyone to decide to just ignore. That's it; that's the only solution.
If only that happened over 20 years ago because at this point, Linux will never reach a large market at the rate it's going.
Huh? Our market-share seemed to have exploded last year, after endless years of hovering just around 1%. This is probably in large part thanks to the Steam Deck, and we're already getting noticed by more developers, just not the ones whose games you probably don't want to buy anyway (EA, Ubi...)
While it's great that Steam Deck has helped with increasing the marketshare, it still pales in comparison to Windows and unless Linux reaches levels that make it compelling enough for these companies to invest in creating solutions for their anti-cheat software, they don't care enough to deal with it and instead, block access without trying.
0 Likes
It's certainly the preferred solution. But I dunno, if cheaters can get around anticheat, which as far as I can make out they can, I don't see why Wine/Proton couldn't. It'd have to be an unofficial version, ideally developed in some country/ies where it is not illegal to circumvent blah blah blah. So there would be problems with distributing it. But it could surely be done.What are some solutions to anti-cheat on
Linux?
Grow Linux so that it's too big a market for anyone to decide to just ignore. That's it; that's the only solution.
0 Likes
It's certainly the preferred solution. But I dunno, if cheaters can get around anticheat, which as far as I can make out they can, I don't see why Wine/Proton couldn't. It'd have to be an unofficial version, ideally developed in some country/ies where it is not illegal to circumvent blah blah blah. So there would be problems with distributing it. But it could surely be done.
Then they'll just check for Wine & Proton and ban anyone they detect using it. That's not a solution.
That's why you need the developers & publishers on board, and for that you need market size.
Last edited by CatKiller on 20 May 2024 at 8:55 am UTC
0 Likes
I wish microsoft at some point forbid all kernel level malware, doubt it though.
0 Likes
Is this something wine can fix like easy anti cheat system calls or is it a Vanguard like Kernel Module that we can't get to on Linux?
0 Likes
What are some solutions to anti-cheat on
Linux?
For users that purchased these titles that were playable on their computers at time of purchase, this also causes me to avoid such companies.
(By comparison,
can't they run games in VMs, on Gamestreaming services?)
Though Linux users shouldn't settle for it,
Is "Offline mode only" an option?
EAC(Easy Anti Cheat) and VAC(Valve Anti Cheat) run on Linux.
Epic used EAC, before they developed their own, which they're now implementing, which is good news for cheaters, but that is a different question.
Edit:
Here's a full website devoted to this question.
Last edited by LoudTechie on 20 May 2024 at 5:37 pm UTC
0 Likes
I had nothing but problems with it, poorly optimized and felt rushed with several crashes. The fact they are adding this well after release is ridiculous, stripping linux users from using a product they paid a license for already. Dirt Rally 1 & 2 are still my picks, along with RBR of course.
0 Likes
Maybe Valve is already working on a solution, to get EA AntiCheat working for Wine/Proton. It took quite a while for EAC to be supported, but eventually it got supported.
EA isn't very consumerfriendly, yet they want to make money. I don't think they want to miss out the opportunity to make more money off Steam Deck users forever.
EA isn't very consumerfriendly, yet they want to make money. I don't think they want to miss out the opportunity to make more money off Steam Deck users forever.
0 Likes
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