Steam Requires Games to Disclose Kernel Mode Anti-Cheat Usage on Store Pages

In the gaming world, encountering anti-cheat mechanisms has become standard practice, as nearly all online multiplayer games incorporate some form of detection to prevent players from manipulating their systems.

Unlike the previous reliance on solutions like PunkBuster, developers now have various options at their disposal. A notable trend is the rise of kernel-mode anti-cheat systems, which aim to deter cheaters by embedding themselves within the operating system’s core.

With the increasing presence of kernel-mode anti-cheat technologies, Valve has acknowledged the feedback it has received from both game developers and players regarding the visibility of these systems on Steam store listings:

“More developers have expressed interest in finding effective ways to communicate anti-cheat details about their games to players. Concurrently, players have voiced their desire for greater transparency concerning the anti-cheat measures employed in games and any supplementary software that may be installed.”

Developers now have the ability to update their store pages, adding information in a newly established “Anti-Cheat”section to promote transparency. New titles released on Steam will undergo a verification process by Valve to ensure this section is properly completed. Providing this information is optional for solutions that do not utilize a kernel-mode driver; however, it becomes mandatory if a kernel-mode anti-cheat is involved.

“If your game employs a client-side kernel-mode anti-cheat system, you are required to complete this new field,”Valve informed developers in a Steamworks developer announcement. “We plan to review older titles and reach out to partners whose games fall within this category.”

As a result, players can soon expect to see details about the type of anti-cheat systems their games utilize, whether it’s Ricochet from Activision, Easy Anti-Cheat from Epic Games, Vanguard from Riot Games, Denuvo Anti-Cheat, BattlEye, or any alternative solution.

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