Anti-cheat solutions, like DRM, wherever they appear, quickly acquire a bad reputation. Some players claim that these components reduce performance, others that they cause their PC to crash. Still others complain that their game no longer works.
In the case of video games, and like DRM, it is most often kernel space code. The objective for the developer is to prevent cheaters from modifying the values residing in memory and other aspects of a game in real time, in order to benefit from them during matches or even competitions. Names like Easy Cheat, Denuvo or even Enigma are common. Often, mechanisms take care of both copy protection (DRM) and cheating, such as Capcom’s Enigma.
The examples are numerous. In the year 2024 alone, we could cite Capcom’s choice to reflect Enigma on its entire catalog present on Steam. At the beginning of September, the release of the highly anticipated Warhammer 40K Space Marine 2 was made with an important announcement from its publisher, Saber Interactive: not only does the game not integrate Denuvo, but the publisher took care to indicate this in its FAQ. Even more recently, we learned that EA had passed its DRM onto the first Battlefield, making the game unusable on Linux, like the other titles in the catalog.
The presence of anti-cheat solutions must be displayed on Steam
In a post published last week, Valve wants to clarify the situation: “ Lately, more and more developers have told us that they are looking for the right way to share their game’s anti-cheat information with players. At the same time, players have asked for more transparency about anti-cheat services used in the games, as well as the existence of any additional software that will be installed in the game ».
Consequently, all sheets will be equipped with a new insert to indicate, on a beige gradient background, whether the title contains such a mechanism.
Initially, the measure will concern new games. Valve indicates in its post what publishers will now find in the settings of their title’s file. But the company also specifies that it is currently communicating with the companies and independent developers behind the titles currently present so that they also fill out the form.
Note that while Valve explicitly makes it clear that the process is mandatory, it does not give any deadline.
Information to specify
Just as interesting, Valve also makes certain information mandatory. Publishers will therefore have to indicate whether the mechanism is installed in kernel space on the operating system. In the wake of the massive CrowdStrike outage, a portion of the public has become more sensitive on these issues. As Steam provides a list of the most common anti-cheat solutions, the box will be automatically checked if applicable.
Additionally, information will need to be given on how to uninstall the anti-cheat software: “ Your uninstallation script should already clean up any files created or modified by your installation process. However, we know that some older games do not completely remove files when uninstalling and it is no longer possible to update the game. Players should be aware if anti-cheat utilities have left files behind them, especially those that modify operating system kernel files “, explains Valve.
Valve adds that games being considered for release on Steam must have this information. If they are not there, the examination will not be successful and additional information will be requested. And this, even if the latter were integrated into the general description. Valve wants the information to be present in the provided insert.
You don’t “buy” a game
Since we raise the question of the information displayed by Steam, the store was forced a few weeks ago to add another: that we are not really buying a game and that payment only entitles us to to a user license. More precisely : ” Purchasing a digital product licenses the product on Steam ».
Although Steam now displays this notice everywhere in the world, this is the consequence of an upcoming California law. Signed on September 26 by the governor, it is stamped AB 2426 and notably attacks false advertising on digital goods.
