EA is permanently banning Linux players on Battlefield V (forums.lutris.net)

Article summary

EA is banning Linux players from Battlefield V, citing cheating as the reason, despite players claiming they were not cheating. The bans are reportedly due to the use of DXVK, a layer that translates DirectX calls to Vulkan, which is being mistaken for cheating software. Some players have reported being able to get their accounts unbanned after contacting EA support. The issue has sparked a discussion about Linux gaming and anti-cheat software.

Main themes

• Linux gaming
• Anti-cheat software
• Game compatibility
• Cheating in games
• EA support
• Gaming on Linux

What commenters say

• The use of DXVK is being mistakenly flagged as cheating by EA's anti-cheat software, leading to unfair bans.
• Linux users are willing to put in extra effort to play games on their platform of choice, but companies like EA are not supporting them.
• The lack of official Linux support for games like Battlefield V is a major issue, and companies should cooperate on a reference platform to make gaming on Linux more viable.
• Anti-cheat software is necessary to prevent cheating, but it can also lead to false positives and unfair bans.
• The market share of Linux gamers is too small to justify investment in Linux support, making it unlikely that companies like EA will officially support the platform.
• The issue is not just about graphics APIs, but also about other difficulties in porting Windows games to Linux, such as audio libraries and file system locations.
• Some argue that the ban is justified, as the use of DXVK could potentially be used to cheat, while others see it as an overreaction by EA.