The gamer community, especially users of Steam Deck and systems Linuxreceived important and, for many, discouraging news about the future of Battlefield 6. In fact, the long-awaited EA will not be compatible with these platforms. The incompatibility is mainly due to the function requirement Secure Boot and the implementation of EA's advanced anti-cheat system, known as Javelin, which operates at kernel level.
This crucial information came to light via the profile Battlefield Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and was later confirmed by Vince ZampellaEA's executive vice president, solidifying the limitation for the community.
Launched in 2022, the Javelin represents the most sophisticated anti-cheat solution developed by EA. The system acts directly at the Windows kernel level, which means that it has deep access to the operating system and is able to detect and block modifications and malicious programs in real time. In order to work properly, Javelin requires the Secure Boot is activated in the system.
However, this requirement imposes a significant barrier for users of Linux and devices such as Steam Deck. This is because Steam Deck uses the SteamOSwhich is based on Linux, and compatibility solutions such as Proton do not offer native support for Secure Boot for games. Thus, the execution of Battlefield 6 becomes unfeasible on these platforms.
"It doesn't work on Steam Deck. I think it will probably work on some portable platforms other than Steam Deck. But I don't think that's the best way to play," said Vince Zampella.
The declaration of Vince Zampella reinforces its unfeasibility: the game is not compatible with the Steam Deckand there is no indication of any plans for future support or alternatives that might circumvent this situation. Consequently, this virtually seals the fate of Battlefield 6 in environments Linuxconfirming that the Secure Boot and Javelin make it completely impossible.
The restriction doesn't just affect Steam Deckbut the entire community of players who use Linux. Even robust tools such as Proton, from ValveThey are unable to support the Secure Bootthus preventing the execution of Battlefield 6 on operating systems other than Windows. This scenario reflects a growing trend in the games industry, with the adoption of stricter anti-cheats, as already seen in popular titles such as Valorantwhich also requires Secure Boot e TPM 2.0 to operate, in order to guarantee competitive integrity.
A EA has justified the adoption of Javelin with expressive results: since its implementation, more than 33 million cheating attempts have been blocked in approximately 2.2 billion PCs. In Battlefield 2042where the system was introduced at the end of 2024 (referring to their specific integration in the game), the company claims that the number of matches compromised by cheaters has fallen by half. It is also important to note that the system also boasts an alleged 99% hit rate in bans, according to internal company data, which demonstrates the effectiveness of the system. Javelin to eradicate dishonest players.
For those interested in the technical details, the minimum and recommended running requirements Battlefield 6 on PC have already been released. The game is scheduled for release on October 10thand it will also be available for the consoles PlayStation 5 e Xbox Series S|X. It is worth noting that this time there will be no versions for PlayStation 4 e Xbox OneThis represents a change in focus for EA for the new generation of consoles.
Keep up to date with the latest news from Battlefield 6 and other releases from the world of games. Share your opinion on EA's decision in the comments!
Sources: PCGamesN, Tom's Hardware e BattlefieldWire/X.
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