A Battlefield 6 developer has commented on the recent debate regarding the game’s anti-cheat protocols, specifically the requirement for players to activate Secure Boot in their BIOS in order to play. Although not everyone has to adjust their BIOS settings, those who do found it to be an irritation. The developer expressed their disdain for cheaters, stating they are the ones that compelled DICE to implement Secure Boot.
Earlier this month, EA validated that Battlefield 6 will debut with its exclusive anti-cheat mechanism, Javelin. Initially introduced as EA Anticheat in 2022, this system has already been a source of unrest within the gaming community. Kernel-level anti-cheats like Javelin are often contentious due to their high-level access on user systems, allowing them to tackle any potential cheating software.
Developer Addresses Secure Boot Controversy
As if Javelin wasn’t contentious enough already, fans were displeased to learn that enabling Secure Boot would be necessary to participate in the recent beta for Battlefield 6. This requirement will persist into the complete game, much to the dissatisfaction of many, including the developers. In a recent conversation with ComicBook, Technical Director Christian Buhl admitted his frustration with the situation, stating that it complicates entry for players. “For some, it is a barrier to entry for the game, and I wish that it didn’t have to be,” he lamented.
Buhl further explained that the studio engaged in extensive discussions regarding anti-cheat measures, weighing the balance between player friction and fairness. The reality is, increasing anti-cheat measures often leads to more player friction, but ultimately aims to create a fairer playing environment.
The developer acknowledged Secure Boot as a highly effective deterrent against cheating in Battlefield 6, albeit not infallible, and highlighted the studio’s commitment to minimizing cheating and enhancing fairness in the game. They assured players they would provide comprehensive FAQs to guide them in enabling Secure Boot, expressing their frustrations towards cheaters who made this move necessary. “We’re going to do everything we can to put FAQs out there and help people walk through turning it on,” Buhl said. “I hate the cheaters for making us do this, but I think it’s going to be better for everyone else to have fewer cheaters and more fairness in the game.”
Moreover, Battlefield 6 isn’t alone in adopting Secure Boot; Call of Duty publisher Activision also recently announced that Black Ops 7 will integrate Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 to curb cheating. This marks the first Call of Duty game to launch on PC with these specific security measures.
