Some Linux gamers playing Blizzard's
Overwatch are on the receiving end of the ban hammer today, and it's suspected that DXVK -- a compatibility tool that hooks into WINE to translate DirectX 11 to Linux-compatible graphics API Vulkan -- may be the the source of the problem, albeit not maliciously.Prominent YouTubers like Linus have also highlighted gaming on Linux recently, thanks in part to the expertise of Linux guru Wendell from Level1Techs.
As first reported by Phoronix, these Overwatch players have been enjoying the game trouble-free on Linux for quite some time. Something changed in the last 24 hours. This Reddit post details the reasoning behind the ban:
I wouldn’t recommend you jump into a competitive match, but Overwatch on your Mac is a great way to fill that Overwatch shaped hole in your heart while you’re on your Mac! Try Parallels Desktop 12 for Mac for yourself – our trial is free for 14 days. Blizzard has stated that they currently don't have plans to release an OSX version for Overwatch. If it is an option you can dual-boot with Windows on your Mac to play. With deep regrets, Macs are currently a bit behind in regards to their graphics capability.
- Account Action: Account Closure - Overwatch Account Offense: Unauthorized Cheat Programs ('hacks')
- Recent activity on this account shows the use of an unauthorized cheat program, also known as a 'hack', which harms the intended player experience.
It appears to be a permanent account closure, not just a temporary ban.
In a matter of hours since the post was published on Reddit, several other gamers have chimed in with stories of their accounts being banned as well.
It's worth noting that Blizzard does not have a policy of banning gamers simply for playing any of their titles on Linux. Blizzard states via their community forum that 'playing on Linux or even a Mac while on an emulated Windows environment is not bannable. Since the game isn’t actually designed for those operating systems, we can’t guarantee stability however. You may see performance problems depending upon your setup. We at Blizzard can’t support it directly, but there are a number of players who play without issue on these sorts of configurations. Good luck with it at any rate!'
The initial theory was that the 'async' option in DXVK, which reduces stuttering as the shader cache is built up, might be to blame and could be falsely detected as a hack resulting in an auto-ban. However, other users explain they're not using the 'async' option and were banned today.
DXVK is an option that's available after installing games via Lutris, a popular option for Linux gamers with titles not present on Steam.
If this has already happened to you, politely reach out to Blizzard support and explain the situation. But just to be safe, if you're enjoying Overwatch on Linux, you may want to take a break until this is resolved or explained.
I've reached out to several PR contacts at Blizzard for an official comment or explanation, and will keep you posted below.
UPDATE 1: The Redditor who originally posted this issue has received the following response from Blizzard support:
'Sorry to hear that your account has been banned! I'm going to escalate your ticket so our team can take a closer look, and hopefully overturn the ban and give you some feedback so we can avoid this happening to other Linux users.'
Can You Get Overwatch For Mac 2018 Update
UPDATE 2: Another user has reported a response from Blizzard support which simply linked him to Overwatch usage terms and the Battle.net EULA. The Blizzard support representative informed him that his case was closed and they would not respond to further requests.
UPDATE 3: Blizzard PR responded to my email this morning and will investigate further with their dev team. They promised an update by the end of the business day.
FINAL UPDATE: True to its word, Blizzard's dev team looked into the issue and responded. They informed me that 'all the bans have been overturned,' and comments on the original Reddit thread seem to back that up. When asked what caused the bans in the first place, Blizzard PR explained that they're unable to share in-depth details about bans. All's well that ends well? I also put Blizzard's anti-cheat team in touch with the lead developer of DXVK, so hopefully this can be avoided in the future.