Kernel level AC only makes sense if you're not selling games, you're selling platforms for micro transactions.

They don't give a fuck about a 'true' gameplay experience.

They do give a fuck about not being able to groom children into gambling addictions later in life, and making astounding amounts of money while doing so.

Maybe so, but kernel cheats these days are extremely easy to make, even more so on linux (since you can just hotload them at will while windows whines about signing).

‘Never trust the client’ does very little to prevent automation and aimbots.

In league of legends for example, kernel cheats that auto-aim your skillshots and automatically walk out of the enemy’s were really common, especially in high elo, and there is nothing the server can do to prevent them. I’ve seen my fair share of cheaters around GM elo over the years, but now, I don’t think I’ve seen a single one since they added vanguard. Though it does suck that I still need a windows partition.

I'm sure the biggest reason is because running server side anti cheat is much more expensive for them, so they push the burden of computing power onto the consumer instead of footing the bill themselves. I'm sure there are also more nefarious things going on, but ultimately it all comes down to money if you think about it