Image Credit: Bethesda
Forgot password
Enter the email address you used when you joined and we'll send you instructions to reset your password.
If you used Apple or Google to create your account, this process will create a password for your existing account.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Reset password instructions sent. If you have an account with us, you will receive an email within a few minutes.
Something went wrong. Try again or contact support if the problem persists.
Trevor Phillips in GTA 5 firing a gun.
Agent Trevor. Image via Rockstar

Latest GTA 5 anti-cheat update leaves Steam Deck users in the dust—and some are seeking refunds

The title was among the most popular on Valve's handheld.

After gaining some popularity on Valve’s handheld devices, GTA 5 will no longer work on the platform due to a recent update to its anti-cheat of choice. This has now lead numerous players to asking refunds from Valve, who is seemingly accepting them.

Recommended Videos

GTA 5 has been out for 11 years, nine of which it has spent available on the PC, and in all that time it didn’t contain any third-party anti-cheat. That is until Sept. 17, when Rockstar announced it would be introducing the popular BattleEye anti-cheat solution to its best-selling title. While that might seem like a good move (cheaters have been a known issue in the title for a decade), this decision more or less killed GTA 5 on the Steam Deck, where Rockstar’s sandbox action enjoyed a high spot among the most-played games.

Trevor Phillips walking away from a burning car in GTA 5.
GTA 5 is among the top 10 most-played titles on the Steam Deck. Image via Rockstar

Going by Steam’s official charts, GTA 5 is the sixth most-played game on the Steam Deck as of this article, even after the BattleEye inclusion gave it the “Unsupported” label. The primary reason for this is that the Steam Deck is a Linux machine running a compatibility layer that allows Windows games to be played on the handheld device. However, as stated by Valve in 2021, BattleEye does in fact support this compatibility feature, Proton, and companies merely need to communicate with the anti-cheat’s developers to enable the feature for their Steam Deck titles, which apparently Rockstar didn’t do.

There are also other titles running the BattleEye anti-cheat that are fully supported on the Steam Deck, such as Mount and Blade: Bannerlord, Arma 3, and DayZ.

As GTA Online no longer works on the Steam Deck (singleplayer is still playable), some fans have begun asking for refunds from Valve, who is reportedly accepting them. Per Pirat Nation on X, reaching out to Steam’s support could net you a full refund of GTA 5 and its downloadable content if the anti-cheat update bricked the title on your device.


Dot Esports is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more about our Affiliate Policy
More Stories To Read
Author
Image of Andrej Barovic
Andrej Barovic
Strategic Content Writer, English Major. Been in writing for 3 years. Focused mostly on the world of gaming as a whole, with particular interest in RPGs, MOBAs, FPS, and Grand Strategies. Favorite titles include Counter-Strike, The Witcher 3, Bloodborne, Sekrio, and Kenshi. Cormac McCarthy apologetic.