Javelin, their kernel-level anti-cheat solution, might be heading to Linux.

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[–] 48 points 7 months ago (1 child)

Looks like I won't buy EA games on a whole new CPU architecture

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  • [–] 44 points 7 months ago

    Ah, one of those "good news" bits that means the opposite.

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  • [–] 24 points 7 months ago (12 children)

    ah. kernel-level means fuck off.

    ew. get better server-level protection. stop being lazy

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  • [–] -5 points 7 months ago (11 children)

    Literally no where does it say they're attempting to modify the kernel.

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  • [–] 21 points 7 months ago (9 children)

    "Javelin, their kernel-level anti-cheat"

    this. this right here. kernel-level = bad.

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  • [–] 7 points 7 months ago (7 children)

    It's an assumption that because they use the kernel in Windows that they're going to do the same in Linux. It's not feasible for them to. Even if they did somehow convince all the maintainers that they deserve kernel access (and let's remember we're in a post-crowdstrike world and they're messing with the same kernel base code that runs all containers and servers out there supporting the entire internet), they would still need to take into account that people can just fork the kernel and compile their own.

    This is one single job posting where they are investigating how they could do it. Don't be so quick to grab the pitchforks.

    If a company the size of EA is willing to consider that Linux might be worth supporting, that's legit a huge win for us. The power of the open source kernel will keep everything else in check.

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  • [–] 10 points 7 months ago

    If a company the size of EA is willing to consider that Linux might be worth supporting, that's legit a huge win for us.

    Is it? I'm personally OK with the Trump dynasty and Saudis not fiddling anything of mine, or honestly anything at all.

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  • [–] 2 points 7 months ago (5 children)

    It’s an assumption that because they use the kernel in Windows that they’re going to do the same in Linux.

    If they don't, then it would be easy to do undetectable cheats using a Linux PC with kernel-level cheats.

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  • [–] 1 point 7 months ago (3 children)

    There are multiple solutions to this problem, and one job posting does not mean they are suddenly forcing changes into the linux kernel, the kernel that literally runs the entire internet, countless businesses, and governments to prevent cheating.

    The facts are that we have a single job posting from EA where they want to investigate how it could be done.

    There is a best case and a worst case scenario, with so many thousands of options in between. Immediately assuming the worst case here isn't doing anything. All probability says it will probably be something in the middle.

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  • [–] 1 point 7 months ago (2 children)

    suddenly forcing changes into the linux kernel, the kernel that literally runs the entire internet, countless businesses, and governments

    Of course that would never happen.

    They'd just require some 'EA anti-cheat' kernel module to be present, or their game will refuse to run. So you'd have to install and activate that module in order to play their game. But there would be no need to modify any computer that doesn't play their game ... so as long as you're not trying to play games on your internet server, the server is safe.

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  • [–] 10 points 7 months ago

    I'm not so sure that kernel-level anticheat on Linux is really a good thing...

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  • [–] 8 points 7 months ago

    I would much rather dual-boot than have them mess with the Linux kernel.

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  • [–] 7 points 7 months ago

    Good thing EA has nothing worth playing! Or piracy; either one!

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  • [–] 4 points 7 months ago (4 children)

    I may be tempted to buy their new Battlefield game if they'd support Proton/Linux, but that's a big maybe. Probably nothing else.

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  • [–] 2 points 7 months ago (1 child)

    Battlefield is pretty much the only big online game I enjoy anymore, and since I switched legit it's the only game that I haven't been able to play. It'd be great if they can figure out some way to make it work. Cheaters are such a huge problem in battlefield that I understand why they won't bring it to Linux without knowing how to set up an anti-cheat solution. Battlefield 5 was just unplayable because of the constant bots and cheaters.

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  • [–] 4 points 7 months ago

    This sounds as much 'good news' as Prof. Farnsworth's "Good news, everyone!"

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  • [–] 3 points 7 months ago*

    I believe Linux is around ~4 games away from becoming globally mainstream:

    • EA's FC series (FIFA)
    • Activision's Call of Duty series
    • Epic's Fortnite
    • Roblox (playable RN but 2nd class experience)

    One more game would be great for those people that play them and are interested in moving away from consoles and/or Windows.

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  • [–] 2 points 7 months ago (1 child)

    I wonder if this means Madden will work on Linux at some point in the future.

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