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Key takeaway: As cheating tools advance, so too must the measures to counteract them. Yet, the implementation of new anti-cheat systems often encounters obstacles. Numerous players voice concerns regarding interruptions, unjust bans, or privacy infringements. While perfection remains unattainable, these precautions are essential for ensuring fair competition and upholding the game’s integrity for dedicated players.
Even as the focus shifts to the upcoming Battlefield game, EA continues to enhance Battlefield 2042 through updates. The latest version (8.8.0) mandates Secure Boot for operation, a strategic move to tackle more advanced cheating techniques and safeguard equitable gameplay.
“As cheat creators continuously adapt their strategies, we’re enhancing our defenses,” EA stated in its Battlefield 2042 update notes.
This adjustment particularly targets cheats that attempt to initiate during Windows startup. The developers have clarified that it functions solely on equipment that supports Secure Boot—a feature available in most systems since 2011. Initially, Microsoft introduced Secure Boot to identify low-level malware that tries to load at startup by validating digital signatures, although it has encountered various issues over the years.
Recently, game developers have leveraged Secure Boot to identify cheaters. Valorant was one of the early adopters of this verification method, albeit with mixed feedback. Generally, it functioned as intended, but many users reported that it rendered their game inoperable. The veracity of these claims is debatable—cheaters may deceive to regain access. However, even a minor percentage of genuine players facing issues or bans due to technical difficulties is concerning for the community.
Numerous contentious anti-cheat debates have arisen, particularly regarding the call for kernel-level permissions. Valorant’s Vanguard system necessitates Ring 0 access, but it’s not just Riot Games and EA that have found themselves in these discussions. Most prominent multiplayer titles, including Fortnite, utilize intrusive anti-cheat mechanisms. This is a price players pay to relish these games—without it, cheating proliferates and spoils the experience for all.
Despite countermeasures being in place, developers continue to grapple with the issue. Last year, cheaters interfered with the Apex Legends Global Series. At least two competitors unexpectedly found themselves employing cheats they hadn’t installed. Ironically, outside hackers had compromised their systems. Consequently, officials postponed the event while the servers were secured.
While new anti-cheat strategies may irritate some legitimate players, developers must focus on safeguarding gameplay for the overall benefit of the community. Most players with Secure Boot activated in other titles face no complications, and any setbacks usually impact only a small portion of the gaming demographic.
Most contemporary systems come with Secure Boot activated by default, but Battlefield will prompt a notification if it is not enabled. Players who are not accustomed to adjusting BIOS settings can access detailed guides on EA’s support pages or refer to the video above.
