Discussions and news about gaming on the GNU/Linux family of operating systems (including the Steam Deck). Potentially a $HOME away from home for disgruntled /r/linux_gaming denizens of the redditarian demesne.
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What e-sports have kernel level anti-cheat? Isn't it just the crap published by Riot? I know both CS and Dota 2 work on Linux, I'm pretty sure you can get Overwatch 2 running. You can't exactly play Smash on a Windows PC either, but I think the other major fighting games like Tekken and Street Fighter work. Are there any other serious contenders for a major esport I'm just forgetting?
Personally, I see incompatibility with kernel-level anti-cheat as a feature rather than a limitation.
People can still cheat without involving any software on their PC because the game needs to display something to the user (which can be analyzed by another device, either intercepting the stream before sending it along to the monitor or even by using a camera to grab the pixels from the monitor, if there's encryption used on the signal to prevent mitm). And it needs to accept input from the user, which another device connected to the device analysing the display can adjust to improve aim, prevent friendly fire, or just auto shoot when you're pointed at a target. You could even write a full bot using that.
On the other hand, kernel level anti-cheat can be an attack vector to get into your machine in a way that existing malware detection will have a hard time detecting. Kernel modification is the level rootkits work at and an arbitrary code execution flaw could mean your hardware is forever compromised, or at least anything with flashable firmware storage (especially if that firmware also implements the flash capabilities, since it could then add its own code to any new firmware you try to flash).
I just don't play many multiplayer games these days to avoid the cheating. And if I do get back into multiplayer games, I'll either do it on a console where I don't care as much about the kernel getting exploited or I'll play a game where the servers are managed in a way that cheaters will get banned because an admin can see what they are doing.
It's just the usual "AAA" suspects
Valorant Battlefield 2042 Rainbow Six League
Even CS technically if you play competitive on faceit, which is still pretty dumb.
There's plenty that actually work though, even with anticheat: https://areweanticheatyet.com
Anti cheat preventing gaming on Linux is honestly an outlier at this stage. It just means the devs don't want to deal with working with an additional OS which several other devs and valve itself has shown is not a major issue anymore. Both EAC and BattleEye have had linux userspace clients for years, and both support WINE now.
Also because they probably can't convince linux users to install a kernel level anti cheat as if that isn't rootkit spyware lol. Akmod and dkms devs would probably laugh if Riot tried such a thing.
There are a few dozen esport and AAA games tthat will never work because of their anti-cheat engines.
I see this as an absolute win.
I'm quite sad as a VR and HDR gamer because I really do want to switch. I have a steam deck, it works great for flatscreen gaming, but general HDR support across the linux ecosystem is apparently lacking and my headset manufacturer told me that they don't support linux and couldn't until the VR ecosystem they rely on supports it
I don't think anybody ever told someone else not to use Linux when they are already using and enjoying it. This argument is often used as a defense against switching to Linux. And of course, if you just want to play your games without messing with all the bottles and Proton versions, Windows is still the way to go, especially for older games.
As a challenge I tried getting several older games to work on Steam Deck, and while it was fun for me, I like tinkering, I can totally see how it can be a huge hassle for others.
There are still good options for mainstream competitive gaming. CSGO, Rocket League, Apex Legends to name a few.
I'm missing PUBG though.
I'm just waiting for better VR support (formerly WMR, now Quest 3), and my system (Thinkpad T15G) is Intel/Nvidia, occasionally with an Nvidia eGPU, and I've heard good support for that just isn't ready yet. Linux would be great if I had a budget to build something entirely optimized for Linux, but right now it's just not right for my system and budget.
I plan on trying it out again soon, but I just don't have time for a new learning curve right now, even if I'm fairly tech savvy.
I remember seeing someone in a comments section say why bother use linux for gaming bro got destroyed by the replies lol he also called linux users ekittens 💀
I can get some old ass terminal based JRPG and Sims 3 which can barely run on windows working using bottles but I can't get the linux version of Hearts of Iron IV to recognize dlc wtf is this
The sheer power of instantly switching desktops in Linux makes the windows user afraid.
But I have seen a lot of old windows heads look at Linux for gaming performance where Microsoft is failing them with bloatware such as copilot.
I don't think the rootkit anti cheats would ever work to a level windows games developers want it to on Linux though.
Anticheat will have to just come from other methods that people will also hate.
Imagine, for example, if they required a form of government issued ID and the account was tied to you specifically. Despite privacy nightmare that it is (plus other issues, especially around globally accessed games), bans would have significantly larger impact if they're tied to a real-world identity.
Made the switch this weekend :) From Win 11 to Mint 22. Haven't run into any real issues really. I have the occasional screen tear on some videos in firefox though. Haven't searched around enough yet to figure that out, but otherwise all good.
Elden Ring works. Crashed on me for the first time yesterday. I went to bed immediately. Thanks Elden Ring.
Good work is being done and I hope more and more games start to get native support as well.
Years ago I bought a ps4 controller to play in my Linux pc, but the games didn't recognize the controller input, I had to use some program to map the keyboard to the controllers but it didn't work well, so I installed steam and with it ir worked perfectly. Because work and college I had to stop gaming for a couple of years, and I tried again some weeks ago with Lutris, to my surprise that the controller got recognized and worked perfectly without the need for steam.