Absolutely. Valve took Linux seriously and it's helped Linux gaming immensely. But you can argue a few things - Valve are private and can still do what they want without an obligation to shareholders. Linux gives them better control of the software on their own devices, so they can tailor the experience exactly how they want. Investing in proton made it so people are willing to buy and use these devices, as the game library becomes nearly identical to windows.

A company like EA, a monolith at this point and historically one of the most profit driven, greedy, arguably scummy companies in gaming, if they're investing in Linux support that means they see dollars and other companies will follow suit. They're specifically looking at their anti cheat software according to this picture which would bring in their competitive shooters, the type of game that is largely missing on Linux.

If their anti cheat supports Linux, others like Easy anti cheat may push to support Linux, and developers like facepunch have even less of a leg to stand on when it comes to ignoring Linux. Unless EA does something like "You must be using our new EA Linux distro for our anti cheat to work" I can't see this being a bad thing.

I don't think that people are demonizing them for attempting to migrate to Linux.

I'm pretty sure (because of my own reaction to this news, as well as the other comments) that it's to do with people's dislike of kernel-level anti-cheat and EA's attempt to bring that to Linux.

They aren't being demonized for 'taking Linux seriously.' They are being demonized for the horns, forked tongue, spade-tipped tail, ichorous blood, and subservience to satan that are everything they have done before now. When the guy who moved in at No.1 and raped their daughter, then moved in at No.3 and raped their daughter, and then did it again at No.5 is showing up at your house at No.7, it might be called 'great news' that someone is finally interested in finally renting out that room you've had available for the last several years, but if you let them in, they're just going to rape your daughter. It's what they do.

Exactly! This is exactly what we want, more big players on linux.

Of course the kernel level anti-cheat is another thing that needs to be addressed, but a big company acknowledgig the importance of linux is a huge victory to me.

I'm willing to celebrate.. if it's a net positive in the end. Linux gamers being able to play big titles, or game with Windows-using friends is good. Having to run DRM/adware/rootkit "anti-cheat", subscriptions and dark patterns is very bad.

My outlook on the modern games industry is very low overall and I don't see how to fix it. If I could do anything I'd instead promote and invest into "open source" games (software freedom respecting games).

The problem is, this may actually NOT about anti-cheat. Just like, age verification is justified by "child protection", anti-cheat may be a gateway to gradually take away the control over the kernel.

As some other people said, if they want effective anti-cheat, why not make it server-side? Maybe I worry too much, but the history tells us these companies likely not act in good faith.

Absolutely!
And the focus on ARM caught me off-guard too, I wonder if they're looking out for future handhelds being ARM or what.