In August, Battlefield 2042 received patch 8.8.0, which makes it impossible to launch the game without digging into the BIOS. As a result, there was a massive outcry and calls to remove the Secure Boot requirement.
EA decided to fight cheaters with rather radical methods, which dragged players down. Secure Boot — is a Windows security component that is usually enabled on newer PCs. However, many players found that they either did not have this option or could not activate it without deep changes to the BIOS. Steam Deck owners and Linux users have had particular problems, as Secure Boot is not supported on these systems at all.
“I run dual OS on my PC, no way i’m changing my entire computer just to play battlefield.. Guess I’m not buying BF6 or playing this one ever again, thanks EA”, — people write in reviews.
The reason for the changes is the new Javelin anti-cheat. It was integrated into Battlefield 2042 with the update and is already used in Battlefield 6, including the open beta. This is a kernel-level antivirus that works at the system kernel level and requires guarantees that the system is free of third-party software, which is why it requires Secure Boot.
EA did not warn players in advance, so now BF2042 in Steam has 62% of the recent negative reviews. Many people found out about the change only when the title stopped launching. Players complain that even after enabling Secure Boot in the BIOS, the game still does not work. Some of them had to contact technical support several times without any result.
“Enabling secure boot screwed up my motherboard. Never gonna play your freaking game anymore, this piece of crap is not worth it”, — the user writes.
There is also criticism of Javelin itself. Players say that it does not block cheaters — despite the claimed 99% detection accuracy. The same offenders continue to play under the same names. Several complaints against one person, even with confirmation via Twitch, do not lead to a ban.
Some users advised to bypass the anti-cheat via Portal servers, where there are active moderators. And the requirement of Secure Boot for everyone is more of a blow to the loyal audience than a real fight against fraud. Therefore, there are still questions about Battlefield 6 – whether we should expect a complete fiasco.
Spelling error report
The following text will be sent to our editors: