Ignoring one smaller market while gleefully supporting another, Epic Games have announced they're getting Fortnite along with Epic Online Services Anti-Cheat on Windows Arm.
Announced March 13th by Epic Games in a news post they said:
We are working with Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. to add Windows on Snapdragon support to Epic Online Services Anti-Cheat, also known as Easy Anti-Cheat, and make Fortnite available for Windows on Snapdragon devices later this year. This will help developers bring more games to more devices.
Worth noting that Epic's Easy Anti-Cheat does support Linux (including Steam Deck with SteamOS Linux), and there's many games that are supported (check out our dedicated anti-cheat section). However, EAC doesn't support the kernel-level side of it on Linux, which has resulted in a number of games actually removing support like Apex Legends.
Tim Sweeney of Epic Games previously said back in late 2023 that it wouldn't make sense to support Fortnite on Steam Deck until it has "tens of millions of users". I still have my doubts Epic will ever do it, even if the amount of Steam Deck users and SteamOS devices (with a public SteamOS Beta coming) continue to increase, since Epic firmly see Valve as a competitor with their Epic Games Store. Not that the Epic Store is actually doing well, as it continues coasting on revenue from Fortnite while seeing a cut in third-party game spending.
Still, money talks, and what Sweeney said does still make sense purely from a business standpoint — they want to see the big bucks come in from each platform they add. Especially when Epic have others to keep happy like Tencent, Disney, Sony and more who have invested in them. Windows overall is already big, and Windows on Arm is likely to get bigger quite quickly with Epic noting it's a "rapidly growing segment of the PC gaming market".
Who knows, maybe Epic and Sweeney will prove me wrong one day and actually get Fortnite on Linux platforms. For that, we need those millions of users, and our only hope clearly is Valve for that. So I do hope we get a Steam Deck 2 and eventually a proper living room box. Valve did only just reveal that 330 million hours were played on Steam Deck in 2024 up 64% from 2023 so there's plenty of hope there.
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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@CatKiller, which is why each and every of my alternatives doesn't lock down the kernel.
the first one ignores the kernel existence by hardening the executable itself.
The second one only confirms the existence of the trusted functions(how it achieves that is even secondary).
The third one checks behavioral patterns in the firmware.
the first one ignores the kernel existence by hardening the executable itself.
The second one only confirms the existence of the trusted functions(how it achieves that is even secondary).
The third one checks behavioral patterns in the firmware.
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Caldathras 6 hours ago
Well, @CatKiller, you've just demonstrated that my point, made in the quote you chose, stands. This is simply a matter of perspective. You seem to be so hung up on the meaning of the word "ownership" that you are unable to see beyond it.
As a result, you are missing the whole point of the matter. It is not the question of ownership as you define it. The actual point is that, with GOG (and Itch.io for that matter), the offline installers are independent of a software client. Regardless of DRM-free status of the game software, the Steam and Epic launchers add another layer of DRM to installing and playing the games. To my knowledge, it is not possible to install a game purchased from Steam or Epic without their respective launchers.
Piracy is not part of the question as @wytrabbit has already stipulated that ownership of a legal license (via a digital receipt) is an essential concern. This receipt, coupled with the offline installer, is, effectively, a perpetual right to install and play the game legally.
Is this perpetual right, by your definition, ownership? No. But, from the perspective of the licensee, "ownership" is not the software code and assets, it is the right to install and play the game whenever they want.
As a result, you are missing the whole point of the matter. It is not the question of ownership as you define it. The actual point is that, with GOG (and Itch.io for that matter), the offline installers are independent of a software client. Regardless of DRM-free status of the game software, the Steam and Epic launchers add another layer of DRM to installing and playing the games. To my knowledge, it is not possible to install a game purchased from Steam or Epic without their respective launchers.
Piracy is not part of the question as @wytrabbit has already stipulated that ownership of a legal license (via a digital receipt) is an essential concern. This receipt, coupled with the offline installer, is, effectively, a perpetual right to install and play the game legally.
Is this perpetual right, by your definition, ownership? No. But, from the perspective of the licensee, "ownership" is not the software code and assets, it is the right to install and play the game whenever they want.
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marcus 5 hours ago
To my knowledge, it is not possible to install a game purchased from Steam or Epic without their respective launchers.
For Steam it is. You can just take the game directory of any game that is not tied to Steam hard (i.e. uses it as DRM) and run it wherever you like. If it integrates achievements you might have to load a shared library to avoid it trying to contact the achievement services, but most games will actually gracefully ignore that and not track achievements if they are found to be running without Steam running. I have many games that are like that. It is a common misconception that all games bought on Steam would be tied to Steam.
This receipt, coupled with the offline installer, is, effectively, a perpetual right to install and play the game legally.
This is just wrong. You *always* buy a license to use the software. While you may be *able* to install the software with an offline installer if your license gets revoked (often that license is from the publisher and not actually from GOG or Steam) then you are using the software illegally.
If the license gets revoked on Steam and you do not have an offline copy because a game was tied to Steam, which is not always the case, as explained above, then you could just as well get a pirate copy and be on the same legal grounds as you would be with Steam. Yes, it is less cumbersome on GOG, but it is not more legal there. Your "receipt" means nothing. You also get one from Steam. But in all cases that is a receipt for a license which is *not* perpetual.
It is just disingenuous from GOG to pretend that it is perpetual when really, it is not.
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Caldathras 3 hours ago
@marcus
Now I find myself needing to be as particular as I have accused @CatKiller of being.
While I am not saying it is impossible, I have never heard of a publisher revoking someone's right to install and play a game for which they have purchased a license. Delisting a game or shutting down online servers -- yes -- but never revoking a license without the user having violated the license agreement. With physical media, they have no way to enforce or prevent it. I see little difference between physical media and offline installers.
I would be surprised if such a revocation would even be legal. I do not recall seeing such a clause in any license agreement I have read (and I read them all at least once). The publisher is as much bound by that agreement as the user. I am not a lawyer, however, just a businessman who has had to review a number of legal agreements.
Last edited by Caldathras on 17 Mar 2025 at 8:32 pm UTC
Now I find myself needing to be as particular as I have accused @CatKiller of being.
You can just take the game directory of any game that is not tied to Steam hard (i.e. uses it as DRM) and run it wherever you like.This presupposes that the game has already been installed. I am well aware that a game without DRM can be run without the Steam client. I have done this myself. But to install that game in the first place requires the Steam client.
While you may be *able* to install the software with an offline installer if your license gets revoked (often that license is from the publisher and not actually from GOG or Steam) then you are using the software illegally.To be clear to other readers, I am not advocating to do anything deemed illegal.
While I am not saying it is impossible, I have never heard of a publisher revoking someone's right to install and play a game for which they have purchased a license. Delisting a game or shutting down online servers -- yes -- but never revoking a license without the user having violated the license agreement. With physical media, they have no way to enforce or prevent it. I see little difference between physical media and offline installers.
I would be surprised if such a revocation would even be legal. I do not recall seeing such a clause in any license agreement I have read (and I read them all at least once). The publisher is as much bound by that agreement as the user. I am not a lawyer, however, just a businessman who has had to review a number of legal agreements.
But in all cases that is a receipt for a license which is *not* perpetual.Nonsense. A legal agreement without a start and/or finish date is automatically deemed to be perpetual. In fact, a license agreement is in force for as long as the two parties deem it to be in force. So, yes, it can be seen to be "perpetual". Some legal agreements even include clauses of that nature. The receipt simply shows that the user has legally purchased the license.
Last edited by Caldathras on 17 Mar 2025 at 8:32 pm UTC
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marcus 51 minutes ago
In the end it doesn't matter. I for my part can copy (nearly) all Steam games I have installed. The license terms, specified by GOG and already posted by someone else above are not materially different from those by Steam. They *do* have a termination clause and govern the use of your license. Just because they are written in a funnier, less legalese way doesn't mean they are less binding.
GOG (highlight by me):
Steam (highlight by me):
It is worded differently, but really materially they are the same. You get a license to use the software. It is governed by the respective services terms of use, that may include termination of the User Agreement (GOG) or Subscriber Agreement (Steam). If terminated the license granted by that agreement also expires. No longer being able to download is only part of the issue and also affects both services. The only difference is that on one the downloader is the browser (GOG) on the other it is a dedicated application (Steam).
Really the "you own your games on GoG" story is nice and all, and kudos for them for keeping this up and so well repeated by everyone, but it is just that: a story and it is wrong. You "own" nothing more than you do on Steam and the files you download you can copy in both instances for many games (though on Steam not for all, admittedly)
GOG (highlight by me):
2.1 We give you and other GOG users the personal right (known legally as a 'licence') to use GOG services and to download, access and/or stream (depending on the content) and use GOG content. This licence is for your personal use. We can stop or suspend this licence in some situations, which are explained later on.
10.1 GOG services [...] and all legal and exploitation rights regarding them are either owned by us or we license them from third parties. GOG content is owned by its developers/publishers and licensed by us. All rights are reserved except as we have explained in this Agreement. You may not use or exploit any part of the GOG services or GOG content except as explained in this Agreement.
17.2 Our right to terminate the Agreement. If you materially breach this Agreement, we reserve the right to suspend or cancel your access to GOG services and GOG content. By material breach of the Agreement we mean a serious breach which could cause significant harm to GOG, GOG users, as well as, in particular breach of the provisions of section 11 above. [...]
Steam (highlight by me):
B. Hardware, Subscriptions; Content and Services
As a Subscriber you may obtain access to certain services, software and content available to Subscribers [...] on Steam. The Steam client software and any other software, content, and updates you download or access via Steam, including but not limited to Valve or third-party video games and in-game content, [...] are referred to in this Agreement as "Content and Services;" the rights to access and/or use any Content and Services accessible through Steam are referred to in this Agreement as "Subscriptions."
2. LICENSES
A. General Content and Services License
[...]Valve hereby grants, and you accept, a non-exclusive license and right, to use the Content and Services for your personal, non-commercial use [...]. This license ends upon termination of (a) this Agreement or (b) a Subscription that includes the license. The Content and Services are licensed, not sold. Your license confers no title or ownership in the Content and Services.
C. Termination by Valve
Valve may restrict or cancel your Account or any particular Subscription(s) at any time in the event that (a) Valve ceases providing such Subscriptions to similarly situated Subscribers generally, or (b) you breach any terms of this Agreement (including any Subscription Terms or Rules of Use).
It is worded differently, but really materially they are the same. You get a license to use the software. It is governed by the respective services terms of use, that may include termination of the User Agreement (GOG) or Subscriber Agreement (Steam). If terminated the license granted by that agreement also expires. No longer being able to download is only part of the issue and also affects both services. The only difference is that on one the downloader is the browser (GOG) on the other it is a dedicated application (Steam).
Really the "you own your games on GoG" story is nice and all, and kudos for them for keeping this up and so well repeated by everyone, but it is just that: a story and it is wrong. You "own" nothing more than you do on Steam and the files you download you can copy in both instances for many games (though on Steam not for all, admittedly)
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