Fresh Steam Deck compatibility concerns surface from the strangest of sources

The Steam Deck anti-cheat discussion has been dug up once again, but not because of its addition to a major triple-A game like GTA or Battlefield 6, but because of its inclusion in Everybody's Golf Hot Shots. This family-friendly golf game now notes on its Steam store page that a kernel-level anti-cheat is used, and it's got some Steam Deck owners a bit frustrated.

Typically, the Steam Deck doesn't get on well with anti-cheat software, and I've written about how Steam Deck anti-cheat has become one of the Valve handheld's biggest concerns. However, as we discuss in our buying guide, we still consider it the best handheld gaming PC on the market, despite this compatibility issue.

Of all the games to adopt a kernel-level anti-cheat, Everybody's Golf Hot Shots is the last place I'd expect such measures to be deployed. I understand wanting to prevent cheating in any online environment, but perhaps a less invasive method could have been used in this case.

The Everybody's Golf Hot Shots system requirements paint the picture of a game that will be ideal for the Steam Deck, but this anti-cheat inclusion has brought this into question.

Developer Hyde Inc. has opted to use Easy Anti-Cheat, a software that can work well with SteamOS and Linux, but such compatibility needs to be specifically enabled by the developer.

At the time of writing, the Steam Deck rating for Everybody's Golf Hot Shots is still unknown, but it's only natural for those looking forward to the game to want some clarity on the compatibility before parting with their cash, even if the Steam refund policy protects them up to a certain point.

Over on the r/SteamDeck subreddit, a post about the game has drawn mixed responses, from concern over the strength of anti-cheat for a "children's golf game" to conspiracies over this anti-cheat being a way for the developer to access data not related to the game.

For now, we can't speak on the reasons behind its inclusion until Hyde Inc. offers an explanation; we can only hope that it doesn't impact the game's ability to run on SteamOS come release day.

If you're looking for ways to improve your handheld experience, you can check out our guide to the best Steam Deck accessories. Likewise, if you're looking for games to play, you can take a peek at our list of the best Steam Deck games, where we have 30 entries tried and tested.

Have you been frustrated by anti-cheat stopping you from playing your favorite games on the Steam Deck, or do you think it's no big deal? Let us know over on our community Discord server.