What Are My Options for Linux Games That Require Kernel-Level Anti-Cheat?

If those competitive games are important to you, dual booting is probably the most practical option. Use Linux or Bazzite for games that support it, and keep Windows installed for titles that require Windows-specific anti-cheat. You can also run Windows on a separate drive if you want to keep the setups isolated.

Kernel-level anti-cheat is controversial because it gets extensive access to the operating system. Personally, I’d rather skip games that require it, but that’s a choice each player has to make. Linux gaming works well for many titles, just not every competitive multiplayer game.

Bazzite can be a smooth gaming-focused Linux option, but it can’t bypass a developer’s anti-cheat policy. Before switching, check the specific games you play in a compatibility database and verify whether their multiplayer and anti-cheat systems currently work. If even one must-play game is unsupported, keeping a Windows installation around is wise.

There isn’t a universal workaround. Support depends entirely on the game developer. Some anti-cheat systems can work through Wine or Proton if the developer enables and supports Linux compatibility, while others block Linux completely. You generally can’t make an unsupported kernel anti-cheat function correctly from the Linux side.