Why is kernel-level anti-cheat even a thing?

If I was trying to prevent cheating, I’d hash the relevant game files, encrypt the values, and hard-code them into the executable. Then when the game is launched, calculated the hash of the existing files and compare to the saved values.

What is gained by running anti-cheat in kernel mode? I only play single-player games, so I assume I’m missing something.

I’m a big fan of 4k/who gives a shit.

That’s great until they decide to stop providing whatever content you licensed.

If you’re not receiving physical media, and you’re not saving a copy to local storage, then you’re not buying anything. You’re renting it.