A Battlefield 6 developer has responded to the ongoing debate surrounding the game's stringent anti-cheat measures, particularly the mandate for players to enable Secure Boot in their BIOS settings. While not every player needed to modify their PC's BIOS to access Battlefield 6, those who did found the process frustrating. Now, a developer from the studio has openly expressed his disdain for cheaters, blaming them for forcing the implementation of Secure Boot as a necessary requirement.

Earlier this month, Electronic Arts confirmed that Battlefield 6 would launch with Javelin, their proprietary anti-cheat system. Originally introduced as EA Anticheat in 2022 and rebranded as Javelin earlier this year, this kernel-level anti-cheat solution has already generated significant community backlash. Kernel-level anti-cheat systems are particularly controversial because they operate with the highest level of privileges on a user's system, granting them access to nearly every aspect of a computer. While this deep access allows them to effectively target cheating software, many users are uncomfortable with third-party programs having such extensive control over their systems.

If Javelin alone wasn't controversial enough, players were further disappointed to learn that enabling Secure Boot would be mandatory to participate in the Battlefield 6 open beta earlier this month. This requirement will extend to the full game release, and the dissatisfaction extends even to the development team. In a recent interview, Christian Buhl, Studio Technical Director at Ripple Effect, stated that he "hates cheaters" for making Secure Boot a necessary measure. "For some people, it represents a barrier to entry, and I genuinely wish we didn't have to implement it," Buhl explained during the discussion.

Buhl elaborated further, saying, "I truly wish we didn't have to require Secure Boot. However, several years ago, we engaged in extensive discussions about our anti-cheat strategy and what approach we wanted to take. We debated the balance between creating friction for players and ensuring fairness. The reality is that implementing more robust anti-cheat measures inevitably adds more friction, but ideally, it also enhances overall fairness in the gameplay experience."

The developer described Secure Boot as an "exceptionally powerful tool" for combating cheating in Battlefield 6, though he acknowledged that it's "not completely foolproof." Buhl emphasized that the development team prioritized fairness for this installment of the series, noting that if players encounter widespread cheating, they're likely to abandon the game. Regarding the controversy around Secure Boot activation, which requires users to access their BIOS settings, the developer mentioned that the studio is exploring ways to assist players with the process. "We're committed to providing comprehensive FAQs and step-by-step guides to help users enable Secure Boot," Buhl stated. "I resent the cheaters for forcing us to take these measures, but I believe it will ultimately create a better experience for legitimate players by reducing cheating and promoting fair competition."