The Finals, a fast-paced multiplayer shooter from Embark Studios, recently received a big update called Update 7.3 – BLAST OFF. This new update introduced a lot of exciting changes to the game, including a new limited-time game mode called BLAST OFF! On top of that, there are also many gameplay improvements and bug fixes.

But while this is great news for most players, there is some potential bad news for Steam Deck and Linux users – a new kernel-level anti-cheat. On the bright side, the devs have promised there are “no plans to drop support” for the likes of SteamOS, Proton, Wine, or indeed the Steam Deck, where the game is currently rated as ‘Playable’ as per Valve’s compatibility tests.

Nexon will soon implement a new kernel-level anti-cheat system in The Finals

In the patch notes under the “Security” section, the developers announced that they are planning to introduce a new kernel-driver anti-cheat system. The game currently works with Steam Deck through Proton, even with Easy Anti Cheat. We’ve seen games like Apex Legends and GTA Online stop working on Steam Deck after similar systems were added. So naturally, fans are now wondering if The Finals will be the next game to break on the handheld device or other Linux systems.

Kernel-driver anti-cheat system works at a very deep level in your computer's operating system. It’s designed to stop cheating software that runs secretly and can't be caught easily by normal anti-cheat tools. The developers at Embark Studios explained that many modern cheats operate at the Windows kernel level, making them hard to detect. So to fight back, they feel they need to also go deeper, and that's where the new kernel-driver anti-cheat comes in, though it is not specifically mentioned by name. They say this move is necessary to make the game fair for everyone.

The update doesn't say exactly when the new system will go live. All we know is that it will be rolled out “in the coming months.”

Even though this news sounds bad for Linux and Steam Deck players, there is some hope. On the game's official Discord server, Dusty Gustafsson, a CX Lead at Embark Studios, said that they don't have any plans to drop support for SteamOS, Proton, Wine, or Steam Deck. They also said, “we will do our upmost best to maintain your ability to play,” even if the platform is not officially supported.

Still, nothing is guaranteed. In the past, many games have stopped working on the Steam Deck after adding stronger anti-cheat systems. Since kernel-level anti-cheat is very hard to make compatible with Linux-based systems, we’ll have to wait and see what happens when it rolls out.

We should note that Easy Anti Cheat is a kernel-level anti-cheat, too, but developers can make it work with Linux systems thanks to Proton support developed by Valve. You can read more about this on a Steam blog post here. Whatever “new kernel-based anti-cheat solution” Embark is moving over to, however, may not have the same kind of compatibility.

About the Author

Abdul Haddi

Abdul is a tech writer and Editor for PC Guide, specializing in all things tech, gaming, and hardware.