3 years ago

Linux players getting banned

Edit: Looks like they fixed the issue causing the bans.

Edit 2: EA is reversing bans and sending out emails letting you know. Yay!

Hello, I believe myself and a few others got banned for just playing on Linux.

other players:

https://www.reddit.com/r/apexlegends/comments/119uwk0/the_clients_game_account_has_been_banned_banned/

https://www.reddit.com/r/ApexLegendsOnLinux/comments/11bo2sw/permanently_banned_for_cheating_beware_users_of/

I'm going to layout everything I did and any Linux specific software I was using.

I got the "The client's game account has been banned: Banned" message when I went to play Apex the other day and I just assumed it was a bug but I had an email from EA that was sent at 6 am saying I was banned for cheating, I wasn't even awake then. I followed this EA help article and even sent videos of me playing the game the day before but I get an email last night saying "We have confirmed that your account was involved in cheating. Because of this, we will not remove the sanction on your account.".

Here everything I was using to play the game OS, recording software, etc.

Arch Linux

Steam

Proton-GE (lots of Steam Deck users use this so it shouldn't be a problem)

OBS with obs-vkcapture

MangoHud

gamemode

my launch options "gamemoderun mangohud OBS_VKCAPTURE=1 %command% -novid" (I did use the dx12 beta for a little as well)

I have been playing for months like this with no issue and I believe the only thing that all 3 of us were using was Proton-GE.

I think this was just a false positive and I hope we can get out accounts back but EA or Respawn needs to look into this because Steam Deck users could also be at risk.

495 Replies

ADAMPOKE111
3 years ago
The same thing also happened to me. piewhat and I were discussing the issue on reddit along with the others mentioned in the first post. The commonality between all of our bans seems to be that we're playing on Linux (official support, think Valve's Steam Deck). Some of us are using Proton-GE for the patches to improve performance and other quality-of-life improvements. Some of us were also using things like MangoHUD for displaying the fps, frametimes, etc. and other overlays which draw over the top of the Vulkan screen buffer.
None of the pieces of software or configurations can be used for cheating though, all of them are legitimate ways of playing the game. These are legitimately false bans which have been applied with practically no recourse as EA Support just denies the appeals without doing a full investigation like is said. None of us are using external tools, abusing glitches/exploits, disrupting the game or EA services for other players or giving ourselves an unfair advantage.
This issue needs to be forwarded to someone at Respawn or EA who can look further into the matter. This isn't affecting just one person, this is several people all who have spent time & money on the game.
Asmodeus566
Hero+
3 years ago
@piewhat @ADAMPOKE111
I know that this is not the answer you are looking for here. However on the forum no one can help with account issues like bans and or suspensions.
For that you will need to contact the ToS team or and advisor at EA help.
https://help.ea.com/za/help/account/information-about-locked-or-banned-or-suspended-accounts/
I hope that you get things figured out. Wishing you the best of luck.
ADAMPOKE111
3 years ago
@Asmodeus566What would you recommend if EA Support just blindly declining the appeals without a proper investigation? There are several people affected by this issue and the recommended course of action is useless since there's no "full investigation" being done.
ReachBeech
3 years ago
Just got the same message, using Proton-GE that's all.
In my EA account I have an empty ban list... =/
ADAMPOKE111
3 years ago
@ReachBeech Same thing happened to me and another person who posted in that first reddit thread. Mine appeared after a few hours. I've tweeted a couple of people from Apex security on Twitter and submitted a third ban appeal, trying to draw attention to this issue as its clearly not a one-off thing if multiple people are being affected by it now.
ReachBeech
3 years ago
@ADAMPOKE111 Great job! Hope we will be listened =)
Rylomed
3 years ago
@piewhatSame for me.
I thought I've "unfortunately" be banned on my 100hrs account, and that I would have been un-banned later. So.. meanwhile, I've created another account, and today (2 days later), my new account has been banned too..

The support declined my appeal after a "full investigation"of course : shrugging :
ADAMPOKE111
3 years ago
@Rylomed The supposed "full investigation" which takes less than 48 hours and comes with a generic "you broke the EULA" decline reply afterwards. This is very poor from EA.
Chrom3sthesia
3 years ago
@piewhatsame happened to me.
using pop os, proton GE 49, gamemode and custom mouse acceleration software
getting bot AI replies about how they did "full investigations" and found i was cheating.
C0N50L3C4T
3 years ago
arch linux, mangohud with proton experimental on steam.
no notifications / no email / no justification - just get kicked after trying to join any game mode
couple thousand hours, badges, skins and heirlooms down the drain... pls fix.