Blizzard denies rumors of Diablo 3 Linux bans

Blizzard is making an effort to get out in front of reports that the company is banning Diablo 3 players who use third-party software to play on Linux. The users claim they were not running any bots or exploits using the alternative operating system, but Blizzard seems confident that it has only banned cheaters.

On the Diablo 3 forums, several users complained that they have been banned for using the third-party software WINE to play the game on their Linux system. The players claim they weren't cheating, and could play the game just fine until only a few days ago. This led to some consternation, especially since players with established accounts were being banned.

Blizzard tells a different story. In a statement on the forums, the company says it has not banned users unjustly. "We've extensively tested for false positive situations, including replicating system setups for those who have posted claiming they were banned unfairly," the statement read. "We've not found any situations that could produce a false positive, have found that the circumstances for which they were banned were clear and accurate, and we are extremely confident in our findings. Playing the game on Linux, although not officially supported, will not get you banned - cheating will."