Ubisoft is removing Linux support from For Honor, which means the game will stop working on Steam Deck when running SteamOS from September 10.
The timing is interesting because Ubisoft is making this change just as For Honor is getting a major competitive update. Ranked Dominion and a reworked Ranked Duel are launching on September 10, and Ubisoft says the new measures are aimed at creating a fairer competitive environment.
Ubisoft says it cannot provide enough anti-cheat protection on Linux. The company has therefore decided to remove the platform rather than allow players to continue using a setup it considers less secure.
This is not just a case of Ubisoft saying that Linux is unsupported. The company is actively blocking the platform. That means For Honor will no longer be playable on Steam Deck running SteamOS, as well as other Linux systems, from September 10.
The game uses Epic Games’ Easy Anti-Cheat, which does support Linux and Proton. That makes the decision more frustrating for Steam Deck users. Easy Anti-Cheat has offered Linux compatibility for years, but individual game developers still need to enable and configure the protection for their games.
In the case of For Honor, Ubisoft says it cannot “meaningfully deploy protection” on Linux. The company has also left the door open for a return. Ubisoft says it will continue looking at ways to improve its anti-cheat system and could reopen Linux support in the future.
I think this is a bigger problem for Steam Deck than it might initially appear. Proton has made Linux gaming far more practical. Thousands of Windows games can now run on SteamOS without players having to think much about compatibility. But competitive multiplayer games remain one of the biggest weak points because publishers have much more control over how their anti-cheat systems work.
We have seen this before. Apex Legends dropped Linux support in 2024 because of concerns about cheating, despite Linux being a relatively small part of its player base. Other major multiplayer games have also had problems with Linux and anti-cheat compatibility.
At the same time, there is a clear sign that Linux gaming is becoming more important. Steam Deck has helped bring SteamOS to a much larger audience, and Valve is expanding SteamOS beyond the handheld. Recent games are also continuing to receive Steam Deck support. EVERSPACE 2, for example, just received an update that made it Steam Deck and Steam Machine Verified.
That creates an awkward situation.
Valve is making Linux gaming easier, while some publishers are still treating Linux as a platform they cannot properly secure. From a publisher’s point of view, the decision is understandable. A competitive game needs effective anti-cheat, and Ubisoft does not want to compromise that just to keep a relatively small platform supported.
But from a consumer’s point of view, it is disappointing. If a game already works through Proton and players have bought and played it on Steam Deck, losing access because the publisher changes its anti-cheat policy is not a great experience. It also makes it harder to recommend Steam Deck as a completely reliable replacement for a traditional gaming PC.
The good news is that Ubisoft has not permanently closed the door. If it finds a better way to protect For Honor on Linux, support could return.
