Steam Deck now apparently executes another widely-played online game, eliminating its anti-cheat obstruction
In the rapidly evolving world of gaming, the Steam Deck, Valve's handheld gaming PC, has been making waves by supporting Linux-based operating systems. One such game that has recently joined the Steam Deck's roster is Lost Ark, published by Amazon Games. However, the anticheat support for this game on the Steam Deck has been a topic of interest, given the technical challenges and developer decisions that come into play.
Most anticheat solutions, designed primarily for Windows, are not natively compatible with Linux-based systems like SteamOS. This is because these anticheat systems often require deep system integration, sometimes at the kernel level, to detect and prevent cheating. Easy Anti Cheat (EAC), one of the anticheat solutions with Linux compatibility, is reportedly the solution used for Lost Ark's anticheat support on the Steam Deck.
However, the success of anticheat support on the Steam Deck is dependent on developer decisions. EA, for instance, has actively decided not to support Linux and SteamOS due to concerns about cheats. This reluctance is not uncommon among publishers and developers, given the small fraction of the overall PC gaming market that Linux represents.
The Linux ecosystem is more fragmented than Windows, with varying distributions, kernels, and user environments. Ensuring consistent anticheat behavior across all these variations adds another layer of complexity for developers, further discouraging full compatibility efforts.
There are exceptions, such as EAC and CrackProof, which now offer varying degrees of Linux compatibility, allowing games like Lost Ark and Umamusume: Pretty Derby to be playable on the Steam Deck without major issues. However, this progress is often game-specific and can be reversed if anticheat providers or publishers change their policies.
The overall anticheat support situation for games on SteamOS remains limited due to these factors. While the Steam Deck has increased the visibility and user base of Linux gaming, many anticheat providers and game studios still view Linux support as a low priority compared to Windows. This is why even when a solution like EAC offers Linux compatibility, individual games must opt in to enable it—and not all do.
In the case of Lost Ark, the anticheat support on the Steam Deck offers a "click and play" experience, requiring no tinkering or launch options. However, it's important to note that this support has been noted by GamingOnLinux, despite no official announcement. Other titles, like Fortnite, still lack anticheat support on the Steam Deck, with Epic Games, provider of Easy Anti Cheat, yet to turn on support for the game.
As we look to the future, the long-term play of Lost Ark's anticheat support on the Steam Deck remains to be seen. While progress is being made, many popular online games remain unavailable or unsupported on Linux platforms unless both the anticheat provider and the game publisher commit to Linux compatibility. The success of Lost Ark's anticheat support on the Steam Deck serves as a promising sign for the future of Linux gaming, but it's clear that there is still a long road ahead.
**References:**
1. [GamingOnLinux](https://www.gamingonlinux.com/) 2. [Steam Deck](https://www.steamdeck.com/) 3. [Easy Anti Cheat](https://www.easy.ac/) 4. [Linux Gaming News](https://linuxgamingnews.com/)
- Microsoft is yet to announce plans for updating their software to natively support Easy Anti Cheat (EAC) on Linux-based systems like SteamOS, which could expand the library of games playable on the Steam Deck.
- The success of anticheat support for games on PCs running Windows could potentially influence the decisions of anticheat providers and game studios to invest more in Linux compatibility, following the growing popularity of Linux-based systems like SteamOS for gaming, such as the Steam Deck.
- With the increasing adoption of gadgets like the Steam Deck, there is a growing demand for a broader range of gaming and software technology to be compatible with Linux-based operating systems, as developers and publishers become more aware of the expanding Linux gaming market.
- As the Steam Deck continues to disrupt the traditional PC gaming market by offering a handheld gaming experience with Linux-based operating systems, companies like Epic Games, provider of Easy Anti Cheat, may consider updating their anticheat solutions to accommodate the Linux gaming ecosystem, in order to cater to this growing user base.
