I really like gaming on my Steam Deck, however it’s changing into more and more irritating to see enormous video games bypass the hand held all as a result of some anti-cheat software program does not play good with Linux. This sense is renewed following the discharge of F1 25, a franchise that will likely be unplayable on the Steam Deck for so long as EA persists with its proprietary anti-cheat software program.
Regardless of being the perfect gaming handheld, there is no doubt that the Steam Deck has its drawbacks. One enormous subject is the age of its AMD chip, which accommodates the CPU and GPU, and is now struggling to maintain up with trendy triple-A video games reminiscent of Doom The Darkish Ages. Regardless of this, anti-cheat is the largest risk to the Steam Deck’s dominance, because it’s already had a huge effect on the sport library. We’re additionally prone to see the Steam Deck 2 finally launched with higher {hardware}, however it will not be capable to repair this anti-cheat disaster.
Anti-cheat software program causes compatibility points with Linux due to kernel-level variations between Home windows and Linux. Most builders perceive the attraction of the a lot bigger consumer base on Microsoft’s working system, leaving Linux and Steam Deck avid gamers out within the chilly.
Probably the most notable titles at the moment unplayable on the Steam Deck, both completely or with massive elements of content material lacking, embrace Grand Theft Auto 5, the EA Sports activities FC collection, Apex Legends, Future 2, Rainbow Six Siege, and even Fortnite. These are among the largest video games on the planet, and for essentially the most half, they’re full non-starters on the Deck.
The issue is so outstanding that there’s even a website devoted to monitoring video games with anti-cheat software program and their compatibility with Linux and different area of interest working methods. It is referred to as Are We Anti-Cheat But? Over 1,100 video games are tracked, and there’s even a useful breakdown of which suppliers are used and what number of video games nonetheless run in some capability, regardless of operating an anti-cheat system.
We will see that 15 video games in whole use EA anti-cheat, and none of them work on the Steam Deck in any capability, whereas 365 video games are tracked utilizing Straightforward anti-cheat with solely six of these video games deemed incompatible, however a futher 193 are categorized as “damaged”, that means any on-line facet of the sport is locked away as a result of anti-cheat system.
Within the grand scheme of issues, Are We Anti-Cheat But solely lists 41 whole video games which are “denied” resulting from anti-cheat, however 633 are “damaged.” This totals 674 video games that do not work as supposed resulting from anti-cheat software program, an enormous quantity, and it contains among the largest video games round.
There’s a want for anti-cheat software program, that is not up for debate, however it is time to discover options to this drawback that do not exclude people who find themselves shortly changing into a considerable a part of the market – Steam Deck or SteamOS customers.
This is hoping that, because the Steam Deck continues to win over avid gamers and SteamOS makes its technique to much more handhelds now that it is entered an open beta section, builders rethink nonchalantly excluding Linux customers.
In your likelihood to win one among Valve’s handhelds, you may try this Nvidia Steam Deck OLED competitors. Should you’re already a Deck proprietor, you may try our picks for the perfect Steam Deck video games, the place we have picked out 30 unbelievable titles that run natively on the console.
You may comply with us on Google Information for each day PC video games information, evaluations, and guides. We have additionally obtained a vibrant group Discord server, the place you may chat about this story with members of the group and fellow readers.