Steam Deck Users Frustrated as Grand Theft Auto Online Becomes Unplayable After Anti-Cheat Update
Steam Deck players are expressing frustration after a recent Grand Theft Auto Online update has rendered the game unplayable on Valve’s handheld device. The update, which introduced the BattlEye anti-cheat system to combat rampant hacking and cheating in GTA Online, is not compatible with Linux-based systems like the Steam Deck.
The September 17 update from Rockstar Games, a highly-anticipated addition to Grand Theft Auto Online and Grand Theft Auto V, came as a surprise to fans. After years of player requests for a better anti-cheat system, Rockstar finally implemented BattlEye. While this was good news for many PC players, it caused major issues for those on the Steam Deck, where the game had previously been “playable” despite not having full verification from Rockstar.
Following the update, GTA Online no longer works on Steam Deck, leaving players able to access only the single-player mode of Grand Theft Auto V. Steam Deck users have taken to Reddit to voice their frustration, criticizing Rockstar for a lack of Linux support and for pointing them to Valve rather than resolving the issue themselves. Some even accuse Rockstar of “lying” about the compatibility issues, suggesting that the company is choosing not to enable BattlEye for Linux users.
The lack of GTA Online functionality has not only disappointed Steam Deck owners, but it has also caused a significant drop in the game’s concurrent player count on Steam—down by 50%, according to GTAOnlineNews on Twitter. While this could be partially due to the exclusion of Steam Deck and Linux users, it’s also speculated that the new anti-cheat measures may have discouraged modders and hackers from continuing to play.
Despite the setback, players on Steam Deck can still enjoy the single-player campaign of Grand Theft Auto V, but for now, they’ll be left waiting to see if Rockstar provides a solution for GTA Online compatibility.
