Linux users have never been given equal respect when it comes to software development and games. Some of the reasons for this are because of the many issues that exist for Linux users. No one operating system is better than the other. Linux is no exception. Several compatibility problems can occur when attempting to play a game that was meant for a PC. Linux is considered a free and open source project operating system compared to the PC or Mac operating systems, which are definitely not free. Because of the hassle involved when attempting to understand the Linux operating system, it’s not worthwhile to create or ensure that games are equally compatible between operating systems.

So those who are big fans of the Linux operating system need to find a software that duplicates the environment of a PC operating system. One of the most popular of these soft wares is referred to as Wine. Wine is what is referred to as a windows emulator. It’s a software that is installed on a computer (in this case, a Linux computer) to run and give the impression that the computer is operating off of a PC environment. This is extremely useful when you want to play a game that will only run on a PC or Mac. If you are a Diablo 3 fan and own or run a Linux operating system, perhaps it would just be best to purchase a PC computer. Linux users are now facing punishments from Blizzard if the company detects an emulator. Many players have already been permanent banned for running the game with a Linux operating system or with an emulator such as Wine to play the game.

Many concerned and angry members have gathered on the Wine forums, discussing the issues and permanent bans they have come across when relying on the emulator. Multiple complaints filled Blizzard’s own forum with requests to remedy the situation. The Linux users who have complained suggest that Blizzard and its special systems used to identify hackers or cheaters is incorrectly accusing these Linux users of wrongful deeds. Wine is treated as a game modification tool that goes against the terms and services for Blizzard.If this system detects cheating, the punishment ranges from a progress roll back to a permanent ban all together.

The community manager, Bashiok insists that there were legitimate reasons for banning these Linux users and that it was not done because they were simply Linux users. These people were cheating, according to Bashiok.

While you can play the Diablo 3 game with a Linux operating system, it proves to be difficult. Blizzard states that using a Linux operating system is not the root cause of getting banned. You may use a Linux computer to play the game, however cheating or any other unethical methods used to play the game will not be tolerated.