Back in October 2024, Respawn announced they were blocking Apex Legends on Linux platforms (including Steam Deck). Apparently this has worked quite well for them.
Am I to believe that cheaters would install Linux, just use a cheat in a game?
You seem to severely underestimate the extreme lengths cheaters will go to in order to cheat. Not only are modern cheats very expensive (like 20+ dollars per WEEK subscriptions), but the ones that are the hardest to detect require a second PC connected to the main PC using a direct memory access module so that the cheat can read the game’s memory in a way that is impossible to notice for the Anti-Cheat running on the game PC. On top of that they spend time and money on stolen/farmed accounts, spoofing hardware and phone numbers, and buying entirely new PCs when they get detected and banned.
Installing Linux is a tiny obstacle compared to all the other shit these losers are willing to go through in order to cheat.
You seem to severely underestimate the extreme lengths cheaters will go to in order to cheat. Not only are modern cheats very expensive (like 20+ dollars per WEEK subscriptions), but the ones that are the hardest to detect require a second PC connected to the main PC using a direct memory access module so that the cheat can read the game’s memory in a way that is impossible to notice for the Anti-Cheat running on the game PC. On top of that they spend time and money on stolen/farmed accounts, spoofing hardware and phone numbers, and buying entirely new PCs when they get detected and banned.
Installing Linux is a tiny obstacle compared to all the other shit these losers are willing to go through in order to cheat.
As someone who only has minimal passing knowledge of the current competitive games - what do cheaters get out of going to such lengths?
Mostly they get to be cunts on the internet and get off on the hate.
Some hide the fact that they’re cheating and try to pretend they’re actually good players.
Usually there’s no real or monetary reward, other than like boosting services that might use cheats.
That’s just…sad.