Counter: it's the publisher's fault, not Linux. As you said, the hardware is perfectly capable, and the OS is capable, publishers just refuse to allow it without installing kernel level malware.
It's EA's fault that you're required to install a damn rootkit to play a game. It's not the fault of Linux for refusing to allow this. Microsoft shouldn't allow it either, and they will likely shut it down before too much longer.
EA wants to intentionally compromise your computer. Linux says they can't do that. EA doesn't want you to play on Linux.
I am choosing to let them install kernel level software because I want to be able to play multiplayer games without cheaters. There doesn't seem to be any other way that people have found to effectively block cheaters.
A user is in full control of their Linux install, which is great... unless I want to play them in a game and they decide to cheat.
It is a tradeoff, yes, but one I choose to make because being able to play cheater free multiplayer games is worth it to me.
I’d almost be ok with this if the kernel-level malware actually stopped cheaters but it doesn’t! Most (all?) modern multiplayer shooters that employ anti-cheats still are struggling with cheaters. So you get the worst of both worlds: you need to install a rootkit and still have to deal with cheaters. Why do gamers accept this abuse?
Kernel-level anti cheats are not perfect, but they decrease the amount of cheaters to the point where they stop being “common” and become “extremely rare”. An imperfect solution is much better than no solution.
Just play with your actual friends. If they start cheating you can go over and kick them in the nuts. Match making was a horrible development for gaming.
I play games at odd hours, when I get a chance between a busy life with being a father and working full time. I have a once a week game night with my friends, and we play games together online. However, most of the time I just want to play a few quick games. I don't want to try to organize with friends or do anything like that. I just want to play some people in fun competitive games.
Online matchmaking is what lets that be possible. I used to dream of having something like that, all the way back when I first started playing online games when you had to call your friend, then tell your family not to pick up the phone because it was your friend calling your modem, then lose connection when your sister tried to make a call. I remember having to set up a code with my friend; if the phone rang twice and then hung up, that means the next call would be me on a voice call wanting to talk, otherwise let the modem answer it.
I used to dream about being able to play people at any hour of the day, and now it is possible. It is an amazing invention.
My favorite part about playing Madden and FIFA/FC is that I can login, hit play online, and within 30 seconds I am playing against someone who is pretty close to my skill level.
That is impossible with custom servers. I have played MANY games that are based around custom servers (and still play some today), and there are many great qualities with those types of games. However, you lose that 'find a good game in under a minute' quality.
I am older now, and I don't want to spend the time to find and join custom servers. I don't want to have to talk to people or deal with server admins or get caught up in drama that a community like that can have. I just want to play competitive, fair games.
> It's not the fault of Linux for refusing to allow this.
Linux doesn't refuse anything, it's free and open source software. If publishers want to offer anti-cheat software developed for Linux, it will run. In fact, many games do have anti-cheat, like Insurgency: Sandstorm, which uses EAC through Proton.
Publishers can even develop invasive kernel-level anti-cheat just like they do for Windows. They don't because it's a small portion of the market currently, and I assume they consider it not worth the investment as of now. To what extent existing Linux users would willingly allow such software to run is also an open question.
There's also the point that even invasive kernel level anti-cheat on Windows with requirements for secure boot continues to be inadequate to stop cheaters in competitive online games.
Anti cheats basically don't work on Linux at all. One of the primary jobs of anti cheat software is to monitor the OS environment and detect people trying to inject code into the game process or read the game process's memory. On Windows kernel access is gate kept by Microsoft and restricts cheat software's options for how to read memory and inject code. The standard Win32 APIs are monitored and the cheats need exploitable kernel drivers to get in.
On Linux this can't work because a cheater can just build their own kernel with all the protections disabled or with intentional vulnerabilities. From what I've heard, statistics for games running anti cheats on Linux alongside Windows find the vast majority of cheaters on Linux.
Given this situation I think it's entirely reasonable to not support Linux if you're handing cheaters the game on a silver platter.
Assuming the Anti-Cheat won't be GPL licensed (which would probably make it useless), the Linux kernel does indeed refuse to cooperate: https://lwn.net/Articles/939842/
Sure, there are technical solution around this, but they are legally questionable.
Would it be technically possible for these anti-cheat companies to make third party proprietary kernel modules I wonder, a bit like Nvidia does with their driver for example, and then require that to be installed and loaded to play? Although with the user able to make custom kernels that'd be a bit of a nightmare. Probably would have to be only supported with specific distro's kernels or something.
I agree with you and I wouldn't want to install that myself but just something I've thought about.
It's EA's fault that you're required to install a damn rootkit to play a game. It's not the fault of Linux for refusing to allow this. Microsoft shouldn't allow it either, and they will likely shut it down before too much longer.
EA wants to intentionally compromise your computer. Linux says they can't do that. EA doesn't want you to play on Linux.