Kernel-level anti-cheat software is a contentious issue among gamers. It’s a solution for rampant cheating in online games, but some players see the powerful software as a huge overstep on the PCs they own.
Steam isn’t going to solve this argument, but it might help make the use of these systems more transparent. Games on Steam now have to declare kernel-level anti-cheat on their store pages.
So sayeth a new Steamworks Development post (spotted by Tom’s Hardware), which declares that games using a kernel-level anti-cheat system will get a more immediate and highly visible badge on their store pages. It isn’t automatic — developers will have to submit that info — but compliance with Valve’s directive is mandatory. (Server-side anti-cheat systems that don’t use separate client-side software are exempt.)
These anti-cheat systems running at the kernel level sit at the deepest layer of Windows with a high level of administrative privileges, up to and including shutting down other programs that might interfere with a game. It’s an effective means of detecting and preventing cheating in online games, but it’s a long way from perfect. Some false positives have cost gamers their accounts when they’ve done nothing wrong.
Even assuming the most wholesome intentions from all parties, some gamers object to this potentially intrusive method of management, and not without good cause. Kernel-level software is so deep and powerful that it can create security issues, which have been exploited by malware designers multiple times in the past. It can also affect game performance, and both of these issues are exacerbated if overworked game developers don’t dedicate enough time to testing and bug-fixing.
Like other controversial developer tools, such as Denuvo DRM, kernel-level anti-cheat systems aren’t going anywhere no matter how much gamers complain. They’re just too effective at the tasks that game devs and publishers want to accomplish. But being more transparent is pretty much always a good thing, so putting that information front-and-center on Steam seems like a good middle ground.
Author: Michael Crider, Staff Writer, PCWorld
Michael is a 10-year veteran of technology journalism, covering everything from Apple to ZTE. On PCWorld he's the resident keyboard nut, always using a new one for a review and building a new mechanical board or expanding his desktop "battlestation" in his off hours. Michael's previous bylines include Android Police, Digital Trends, Wired, Lifehacker, and How-To Geek, and he's covered events like CES and Mobile World Congress live. Michael lives in Pennsylvania where he's always looking forward to his next kayaking trip.