Issues like that are usually related to windows security settings which block applications from modifying the contents of user specific folders.
If a game likes to write save files to those locations and you have enabled ransomware protection, you’ll need to allow an exception for it:
Go to Windows Security -> Protection History -> Protected folder access blocked (look for the game’s executable in this list) -> Actions -> Allow on Device
I did a quick search but couldn’t find any issue with their anticheat.
From what I could find, it’s not a kernel level anticheat.
As far as damaging hardware, reading from a drive doesn’t really degrade it much at all, the bigger concern there would be if it was writing to your drive a ton (but honestly you should worry more about Window’s Page File system since that makes it possible to use your storage drive as RAM).
I found a post from one player on the steam forums with concerns about the anticheat because their system kept crashing, but that sounded more like an isolated incident (or more likely related to the Intel CPU issue that was confirmed that same year).
There is a highly upvoted review for the game which has concerns about the anticheat reading all files on a drive and “overloading your processors (ignoring frame-rate caps and going past it).”
I agree that reading every file on a drive is concerning, I’d rather any anticheat stick to just the game’s folders itself.
However, I’m wary about their understanding of programs/computers if they think that anti-cheat software should be limited by, or has anything to do with frame-rate caps. Also, they don’t provide a source for any of their information or how they tested it.
Most other cocerns about anti-cheat quoted that same review in one way or another.
Allies: aren’t getting stuck anywhere near as often at my base compared to what they were doing near launch. I haven’t noticed it recently, but they likely still get stuck depending on how complicated your base gets. Beyond that, any pathfinding is fairly basic, they’re not smart about it.
Enemies: I’ve seen them navigate through trees and up simple mountain trails when they’re running away from me. And if you attack them, and hide up on a nearby cliffside they usually just get stuck at the cliffside below you trying to walk into the wall.
Dumb/Static enemy behaviour:
Yeah this is still very basic. They usually stay in the same place unless they are running away, chasing you, switching targets, or using an ability that forces them to move. It’s trivial to just hide behind a tree or a boulder and attack them until their health is low enough to catch. They won’t actively try to adjust their angle of attack to compensate for objects between you and them.
Character clipping issues:
The only player structure I still have clipping issues with is one structure meant for increasing your storage/showing off pals at your base. Even then I only saw one player get stuck in it once recently. But he was probably jumping around on top of it for that to happen. It’s rare to see issues at the level we saw at launch.
Really weird physics issues:
The one I can remember off the top of my head was where an attack could launch a character up into the stratosphere and then they would fall and instantly die when they finally hit the ground. I haven’t seen anything like that in months.
I think that’s a fair question given how it initially launched.
I’m no longer falling through the map. I can’t remember the last time that happened (except for the early days of the game).
I’ve only seen other players joining my world getting stuck inside of rocks when they initially spawn in, but you can just get out by spawning a pal that you can mount right next to the rock that you’re stuck in. Edit: Note: This bug is rare and doesn’t happen often anymore.
Not just the U.S.
Avalanche Studios has their headquarters in Sweden and they’re closing their studio in Canada (per this article). Additionally, Phoenix Labs (Dauntless & Fae Farm) is a Canadian game developer and they just let go of a significant number of developers and cancelled all future projects (about 3 weeks ago): pcgamer.com/…/dauntless-developer-phoenix-labs-la…
While Microsoft was the one shutting down multiple Game Developers last month, those studios are also based all over:
Tango Gameworks - Japan
Alpha Dog Games - Canada
Arkane Studios - (Headquarters in France, but shutting down their Studio in the U.S.)
Roundhouse Studios - U.S.
Well… good thing I’ve been buying what I can through GOG… but this is terrible news, especially with the way Microsoft has been shutting down gaming studios recently.
Edit: meh, this just sounds like clickbait:
The leak comes from an unknown and unreliable source in the gaming industry.
Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard faced regulatory challenges, making the merger with Valve unlikely.