Anti-cheat "Spyware" and the Case for Consoles

Old Duck

Old Duck
After a long download and a silly dance with the "that name is already in use" signup, I finally was ready to play Planetside 2 for the first time on my PC (I know, I'm late to the party). And then came the popup, the long warning about the anti-cheat software this game was going to install on my computer - Battlespy or some such thing. I read about all the information it would collect and all how it would be running all the time, and then I promptly clicked NO on the popup asking me if I wanted this software to make changes to my system. For a variety of reasons, I do NOT want my PC gummed up with software like this, especially when I'm already running Steam.

I was thinking that all that time had been a waste, but then I remember that Planetside 2 is available for PS4! Unlike Elite, a game like Planetside (or Overwatch or Fortnite) looks fine on my PS4, and since consoles are locked down to begin with, there is no need for anti-cheat spyware, nor will data be collected outside of what my little game box knows, which isn't much. Up to this point I've been playing games like Overwatch and Star Wars Battlefront on my PS4 because that's where I originally bought them, and I didn't want to pay twice for the same game. But now I'm also thinking in regards to this anti-cheat crapware, and I'm beginning to think I'll be dividing up my gaming library even further, with single-player titles and complex simulator-like games (Elite, Space Engineers, Stellaris, City Skylines, etc) on my PC, and anything like Overwatch or Fortnite (or Planetside 2) remaining on my Playstation. I've often defended consoles in the past when I was an exclusive console gamer, and here I am coming full-circle, having paid good money for a PC yet feeling the need to use my console as the ultimate firewall / spyware preventer.

I'm now curious, are there any other games I that do this that I should be aware of? For example, doesn't Ubisoft install a bunch of anti-piracy crapware? What about Red Dead Online? I already own RDR2 for PS4, and while I had hoped to upgrade the graphics someday by getting it on PC, now I'm thinking twice about that... Any other popular games install DRM / ATS? I forgot what a minefield buying PC software can be - PS4 spoiled me in this regard!
 

Chris Simon

Chris Simon
Many PvP games use third-party anti-cheat software. Some are worse, some are better, but if you want to to live without them, go tell other players to stop being crap.

PS2 uses "Battleye" soft. from what I read, it's one of the less intrusive ones, supported by the fact that PS2 is apparently really easy to hack and cheat in.

FYI - anti-cheat software is used on consoles as well. It's just that while on PC it's usually installed separately and with player's consent, on consoles it's simply installed as part of the game files. After all, console players aren't any less prone to cheating than the Master race. ;)

In any case, you will have to accept it or stop playing PvP games, unfortunately. These things will only get more common as time goes on, because PvP games are on the rise and players get better at cheating.

Oh, and by the way - from the tone of the post I gathered you are very concerned that game companies are going to spy on you. If that's the case, I would like to ask if you've ever used Discord. If you did, you can be at peace because all your information is already out there, safe in a cloud and being updated regularly. :)
Same with Google and their affiliate softare and hardware (Chrome, Android phones, Youtube,...) of course, unless you're using Ghostery.
 

Morbad

Morbad
Navigare Necesse Est said:
Play with friends or groups that are strict on cheating and control admittance. Mass market PvP isnt worth the trouble.
Click to expand...

Many games wouldn't be worth the trouble without a sufficiently large pool of players. If I limit myself to only playing with people I personally know well enough not to cheat, games would have to be scheduled well in advance, and I'd I have zero competition from most of them.

I occasionally used to play Counter-Strike and Unreal Tournament at LANs or on private servers, but it was difficult finding enough people to play Mechwarrior 4, Tribes 2, or Battlefield 1942 outside of public games and something like Planetside 2 wouldn't even work without several hundred simultaneous players.
 

Navigare Necesse Est

Navigare Necesse Est
Morbad said:
Many games wouldn't be worth the trouble without a sufficiently large pool of players. If I limit myself to only playing with people I personally know well enough not to cheat, games would have to be scheduled well in advance, and I'd I have zero competition from most of them.

I occasionally used to play Counter-Strike and Unreal Tournament at LANs or on private servers, but it was difficult finding enough people to play Mechwarrior 4, Tribes 2, or Battlefield 1942 outside of public games and something like Planetside 2 wouldn't even work without several hundred simultaneous players.
Click to expand...
Ye, that's because the market is quite saturated and ppl have more to choose. It's like introducing too many modes in a game that splits the pop too much. Or have huge skill gaps and matchmaker segregating peasants from edgelords.
However, having played Fractured Space (niche DotA-like with space ships - it shut down struggling to find enough audience) showed that even with just 100s of players, you can get matches made. You're just more likely to meet your nemesis more often.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom