Ubisoft banning Steam Deck users from For Honor reveals how expendable Linux gamers are

Published Sep 2, 2026, 11:43 AM EDT Simon is a Computer Science BSc graduate who has been writing about technology since 2014, and using Windows machines since 3.1. After working for an indie game studio and acting as the family's go-to technician for all computer issues, he found his passion for writing and decided to use his skill set to write about all things tech. Since beginning his writing career, he has written for many different publications such as WorldStart, Listverse, and MakeTechEasier. However, after finding his home at MakeUseOf in February 2019, he would eventually move on to its sister site, XDA, to bring the latest and greatest in Windows, Linux, and DIY electronics. Gaming on Linux has come a long way over the last decade, mostly thanks to Valve's efforts after it tried to escape Windows 8. However, despite being in the best state it has ever been, it's by no means perfect. Anti-cheat mechanisms often prevent Linux gamers from playing online, and it's always terrible to hear that a game you've been excited about won't let you play it on your fave distro. However, it's even worse to hear that a game you've already bought suddenly wants nothing to do with Linux. But that's exactly what happened with For Honor, and people aren't happy. Ubisoft's removal of Linux and Steam Deck support in For Honor is a symptom of a larger problem Linux gaming is, unfortunately, not perfect Recently, Ubisoft stated that Linux and Steam Deck owners of its title For Honor were barred from playing online. It's worth remembering that For Honor is not a new or upcoming title; it has been out for around nine years now, with Linux gamers making up a small portion of the player base. However, due to Ubisoft adding a new competitive mode and tweaking an existing one, it faced the problem of stopping cheaters from dodging its kernel-level anti-cheat protection on Linux, and its solution was to boot out all Linux gamers: "To reinforce a fair competitive environment, the team is introducing additional player safety measures. We are removing For Honor from the Linux platform to ensure a safer environment for our players as we cannot meaningfully deploy protection on this platform. This means that For Honor will no longer be playable on Steam Deck starting September 10th. We will continue to investigate different ways to improve our anti-cheat with the possibility of reopening the platform in the future." Yes, this means that both Linux and Steam Deck owners (which run SteamOS, based on the Linux distro Arch) have been removed from a game they've owned for nearly a decade, which hasn't gone down well. Worst of all, people are discovering they can't refund an old game purchase on Steam even when the developer deliberately breaks compatibility with their system. Ubisoft's move is just a small part of a bigger issue with gaming on Linux This isn't a one-off case Is Ubisoft the only company stopping Linux users from playing online due to anti-cheat concerns? Hardly. Many companies have given Linux gamers the cold shoulder over concerns that cheating may seep into their games. So, how come Windows users get a free pass, but Linux doesn't? Why are Linux users paying for what Windows gamers did? The problem is that anti-cheat developers ideally want kernel-level access to ensure people are playing fair. That level of access is doable on Windows; it's proprietary software, so people can't just dig into Windows' core and tweak it to allow their cheats to work. Linux is a different story, in that it's open-source and volunteers write code for it daily. It's far harder to pin down someone cheating in a kernel they have access to over something like Windows, and when some companies see that challenge, they respond by simply blocking Linux out of the equation. It's the most cost-efficient and low-effort route, even if it ticks off a specific niche of gamers. As long as Linux gamers are an ignorable minority, this will keep happening Shunning Linux is, currently, an affordable loss versus coding anti-cheat for them So, why aren't developers working to add anti-cheat to Linux? Well, there's a good chance it's because it's a niche. Linux users make up around 3-5% of the Steam user base right now, which makes them a vast minority. As such, when an anti-cheat company or game developer is thinking about how online gaming works, they can take one of two routes: they can struggle with trying to prevent people from cheating on Linux and risk a game full of hackers if they fail, or save time and money and evict that small percentage from their game. As long as Linux gamers are seen as something a game dev can block without concern for their bottom line, we'll continue to see anti-cheat programs that won't allow Linux. Hopefully, Linux gaming will take off in a big way, forcing developers to rethink their strategy; until then, we're at an acceptable loss. Ubisoft's For Honor ban won't be the last of its kind if Linux can't pick up the pace While Ubisoft's ban on Linux and Steam Deck owners from For Honor is a huge punch in the gut for game owners, the truth is that the company's main focus is on Windows players and potential buyers. To keep them comfy and to prevent hackers from ruining the experience, the company decided to ban all Linux users from their game. The only way I can see companies respecting Linux users more is if Linux users make up a larger share of their income, and I hope that day comes eventually.