Bring back the manual 'Game Mode' feature. Why do you keep REMOVING valuable features from F-Secure?

F-User9
F-User9 Posts: 13 Enthusiast

As of F-Secure Safe Version 18.1 (October 2021), you have REMOVED the very valuable ability for your customers to manually turn 'Game Mode' On or Off. Now the process is entirely "automated', with NO way for customer to start or stop Game Mode.

This is undesirable, non-sensical, and quite troublesome.

I've yet to see an antivirus or security product that can 100% of the time tell when I am running or not running a "game." F-Secure Safe also does NOT alway correctly determine when I am running a game (or so it appears as I monitor which processes and how muc memory is being used when I turn certain games off or on). It also seems to mis-recognize some full-screen programs as games.

There are also times when I am running work or other products that would greatly benefit, stability-wise, from manually turning on GAME mode (something we are not longer allowed to do!).

Please STOP removing vauable features and manual controls from your products. For example, several years ago you removed your own Firewall from F-Secure Safe, leaving only the very poor association with Windows' own Firewall, a far inferior solution that leaves security gaps. Many, many, many uses have requested you bring the firewall back, to no avail. Yes nearly all your competitors incluse a Firewall.

WHY do you keep removing valuable features? In my opinion, you are slowly crippling your own software and making it less useful, and probably losing long-time customers in the process. I hope you start listenting to your paying customers, and soon.

I don't necessarily mind having an 'automatic' Game Mode feature, as long as I ALSO have ability to manually turn this OFF or ON when necessary. Please return control to the user, and stop removing features without asking us!

Thank you. I, for one, am looking to leave F-Secure, as you continue to ignore us, and you don't ask for your opinions before removing NEEDED security features. Why don't you actually survey us users before removing specific features that are needed, since WEE are the people paying you? This seems a huge failure of management.

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  • F-User9
    F-User9 Posts: 13 Enthusiast

    Addendum: After rebooting PC (after 18.1 update), I can now turn the AUTOMATIC Gaming Mode on or off by digging down in the Scanning Settings.

    However, I still no longer have the ability to quickly and manually enable or disable Game Mode on the fly. Please bring back the 'right click' menu method of allowing us to turn Game Mode ON or OFF as needed by right-clicking the toolbar icon. There are many times when I need to manually turn Game Mode ON or OFF, and have it REMAIN on or off until I decide otherwise. Thank you.

  • Ukko
    Ukko Posts: 3,611 Superuser

    Hello,

    Sorry for my reply. I am only an F-Secure user too.

    I've yet to see an antivirus or security product that can 100% of the time tell when I am running or not running a "game." F-Secure Safe also does NOT alway correctly determine when I am running a game (or so it appears as I monitor which processes and how muc memory is being used when I turn certain games off or on). It also seems to mis-recognize some full-screen programs as games.

    In fact, this functionality is also based on or pinned to Windows 10 design. At least, with the very first forms of this change. I mean, additionally you must have "Game Mode" turned on in Windows settings (by default: On).

    Probably, whenever Windows 10 found a related 'application' - passed this information to F-Secure SAFE, which can also be with some inclusions and exclusions, tweaks or actions.

    So, could you help a bit and tell if your current experience on "correctly determine or not" is based on F-Secure SAFE settings screen where should be visible timestamp of last Gaming Mode 'session'? If so, could you find out which games are not detected? and if so - maybe you could help to improve this functionality by contacting F-Secure Support with this information. Thus, they will try to tweak functionality.

    There are also times when I am running work or other products that would greatly benefit, stability-wise, from manually turning on GAME mode (something we are not longer allowed to do!).

    Indeed, a nice use case. I also tried to use 'previous' Gaming Mode not only for games. However, mode is called and designed for Gaming. In addition, current description of Gaming Mode is ""This pauses the software and database updates, and scheduled scanning."" While its processes and performance itself already quite optimized.

    // we discussed firewall situation before (as community users).

    I don't necessarily mind having an 'automatic' Game Mode feature, as long as I ALSO have ability to manually turn this OFF or ON when necessary. Please return control to the user, and stop removing features without asking us!

    By the way, you can try applying to participate in their beta program. And to be able to provide valuable feedback, opinions and thoughts before changes reach stable builds.

    And, perhaps, you still with an ability to turn off this 'automatic Game Mode'. I mean, there is no switch to "manual" - but, at least, if you do not like Game Mode - you still with an option to disable it. // oh, well, you already found it.

    Otherwise, such functionality should be reliable enough to be automatic.

     I, for one, am looking to leave F-Secure, as you continue to ignore us, and you don't ask for your opinions before removing NEEDED security features. Why don't you actually survey us users before removing specific features that are needed, since WEE are the people paying you? This seems a huge failure of management.

    I do not know why you decided that no research has been done on this matter. And then - the functionality has been changed towards more smoothness for the user (less action) and more peace of mind. Not completely removed.

    With such decisions, there will always be some part of users who have their own use case or who more often than others use certain functionality. Therefore, a compromise is made in software.

    I think that someone did not even notice the changes (and didn’t use Gaming Mode before). And someone liked it. By just bringing back (as is) - some of them may get upset too.

    Also, just as a discussion. What do you feel about manual Gaming Mode. What should it do? I mean, stop/pause updates, scheduled scans. Or something more? If not, maybe more reasonable to ask / request an ability to delay / pause updates itself.

    Thanks!

  • BloodyUsernames21
    BloodyUsernames21 Posts: 5 Observer

    I asked this and was told to try putting it on here, when I saw this message I thought I'd just add it as a comment.

    Could you not re-enable gaming mode for Windows 7 and 8.1, so people like me who still use Windows 7 can just continue turning it on/off the old way while those who have Windows 10 get the new automatic on/off way?

    It's just my pc seems to be heating up a little more while gaming now, I'm assuming because it's now able to do stuff in the background that it didn't before the update. And I really don't want to have to mess around disabling things before gaming then have to remember to re-enable when finished.

    Also I doubt Microsoft ever think when creating new versions of Windows that not all games especially older games will install and work ok on that new version. I have so games that work fine on XP but not so good on Windows7. And I doubt that the games that are working on Windows7 will still work ok on Windows10 or the new Windows11. So why can't you still make it so your software still works with at least Windows7 onwards even if Microsoft have ended support/updates etc.

  • F-User9
    F-User9 Posts: 13 Enthusiast

    Automatic Gaming mode still does NOT work for me. At all. Ever.

    I'm running Win10 in Game Mode. I've played about 7 different games, and F-Secure SAFE has detected NONE of them. I'm playing in full-screen mode. The 'Automatic' Gaming detection appears to be a comple fail, at least for me.

    Some examples:

    I tried 3 different puzzle/hidden item games (the ones commonly seen in retail stores on CD). NONE were detected by F-Secure Safe. Connecting to the Net for some extra game features still did not trigger game detection.

    Several times over a week, I logged into one of the biggest multiplayer online games/worlds that's been around over 15 YEARS (Second Life), and SAFE failed to detect it.

    I opened up the original 'Crysis', a well-known game that strains all but the best graphics cards. F-Secure SAFE detection = NOPE.

    F-Secure settings still say: "Last gaming session started: None detected yet."

    This is 100% FAIL, at least for the 6 or 7 games I've tried.

    I looked at running Windows processes; none of the F-Secure ones appear to change at all when I'm running full-screen games, online or offline.

    PLEASE bring back our ability to manually turn Game/Mode on & off, in spite of whether you ever fix automatic game detection. MANUAL control is a necessity, or I will not be using or recommending SAFE to anyone who plays games in Windows. Thank you!

  • F-User9
    F-User9 Posts: 13 Enthusiast

    PS Ukko, thanks for your detailed comments.

    Why not have BOTH ways of Game Mode. Automatic is fine (IF it would work even SOME of the time; it NEVER works for me).

    BUT why not also allows users to MANUALLY turn Game mode on/off, like we could do for the past years? Removing control is not a way to keep gamers happy. You will lose customers.

    I've been following many of the 'feature requests' made by others here. Many are logical and prudent, yet I've yet to see a single one implemented in the last 2 years. I guess we'll have to start voting with our wallets instead of wasting time here. But I wish you all the best, if you stick with this product. I

    I know I sound like a complainer, but taking away a needed feature/control and replacing it with an "automatic" one that does NOT work is a huge step backward.

    And Ukko is quite right: At least i can turn OFF the 'automatic' Gaming mode detection (thanks). I might as well, since it's useless for me.

  • Ukko
    Ukko Posts: 3,611 Superuser

    Hello,

    Once again, sorry for my reply (I am also only an F-Secure user).

    This is 100% FAIL, at least for the 6 or 7 games I've tried.

    Maybe you could try to contact their Support. Contact support | F-Secure

    At least, your experience does not sound like what they want to implement with this change.

    Why not have BOTH ways of Game Mode. Automatic is fine (IF it would work even SOME of the time; it NEVER works for me).

    BUT why not also allows users to MANUALLY turn Game mode on/off, like we could do for the past years? Removing control is not a way to keep gamers happy.

    I am not sure. Probably, current realization is not about 'manual' way. I mean, maybe this implementation does not support manual activation, since the determination of the game mode occurs according to some other (from outside) decision. Which is probably not exactly great (and surely not great for users). The only thing that doesn't bother me is that performance, even without a game mode, improves with each release. That is, in principle, there should be no huge problems. But pausing the "update" of the database would still be appropriate (because at least my laptop can feel it).

    So, the manual option was removed (in favor of the automatic), because otherwise it was impossible to maintain the current implementation. But these are just my thoughts (as a user).

    I've been following many of the 'feature requests' made by others here. Many are logical and prudent, yet I've yet to see a single one implemented in the last 2 years. I guess we'll have to start voting with our wallets instead of wasting time here. But I wish you all the best, if you stick with this product. 

    Indeed, not everything is being realized. But, nevertheless, I can remember at least five changes or improvements related or based on feature requests by users.

    Also, yes, I feel good about this solution. Because there are not many competitors who will be at a related level for me.

    All in all, feature requests board is the way to share our opinions to developers (one of the ways) and why do not try it. At least, this can help prioritize the implementation of a particular wish.

    Perhaps the current situation with the Game Mode was due to the fact that the developers did not have enough feedback on this matter. Or the number of active users who would have had a lot of experience using it. And different situations / environments to check. Because

    I know I sound like a complainer, but taking away a needed feature/control and replacing it with an "automatic" one that does NOT work is a huge step backward.

    definitely not the experience it should have been after the change. That is, there is some problem with the detection of a game session - and it would be nice to fix it.

    Otherwise, indeed such a switch (manual option -> automatic only) is too drastic.

    Thanks!

  • Cale
    Cale Posts: 288 F-Secure Product Manager
    edited October 2021

    Hi, sorry for your frustration. The manual gaming mode had really low usage and Microsoft introduced "Game mode" in Windows 10, so we decided to support that feature instead. The game detection is handle by Windows and during the development the team tested that 54/60 games were detected successfully, so the feature should be ok.

    -Cale

  • FSafe_UserDW
    FSafe_UserDW Posts: 16 Enthusiast

    Cale & Ukko, thanks for your comments.

    Unfortunately, Automatic Gaming Mode is still a 100% FAIL for me. I've now tried over a dozen games, and F-Secure detects NONE of them. Automatic Gaming mode has NEVER kicked in (Last gaming session started: None detected yet).

    PLEASE stop relying on Windows 10 VERY BUGGY Game Mode. It also foten fails to detect games (even super popular ones that hundreds of thousands of people play!). Do a Google search if you don't believe me. And I'm talking about games that have been around for YEARS.

    Give us back MANUAL control over gaming mode, or you will probably be losing tons of gaming customers soon. Automatic detection mode appears to be 100% USELESS for me.

    Thanks. This will be my last year using F-Secure unless you stop removing necessary & useful features.

  • Akam
    Akam Posts: 1 New Member

    I am also one of the customer (since long time ago), but I removed f-secure last night due to this, Your product manager must considered the option to get user action if they want windows gaming mode or manual gaming mode, so this is not fair at all to remove Game mode and depend on Windows.

  • Chiming in: the automatic game mode for me in F-Secure is also a huge fail. Windows does not detect any of my games (all of them quite popular, none super old), and F-Secure has never detected a single game since your move to automatic.

    I too am leaving this frustrating software. When you removed the very-much needed 2-way firewall a few years ago, that was atrociously bad. Yet you continue to remove more features that are needed, like manual control of gaming mode.

    Goodbye, and I am telling all the gamers in my league to never use F-Secure.

  • Ukko
    Ukko Posts: 3,611 Superuser

    Hello,

    Chiming in: the automatic game mode for me in F-Secure is also a huge fail. Windows does not detect any of my games (all of them quite popular, none super old), and F-Secure has never detected a single game since your move to automatic.

    Could you contact their official Support channels (Contact support | F-Secure) - for example, web-chat. So, they can to dig situation a bit. And check what is wrong with your environment. Why F-Secure has never detected a single game.. it may help a lot of other users.

    When you removed the very-much needed 2-way firewall a few years ago, that was atrociously bad. Yet you continue to remove more features that are needed, like manual control of gaming mode.

    But they also bring some 'requested' features and other needed things. And re-implement some (rather to remove fully). However, some features were dropped completely indeed.

  • Cale
    Cale Posts: 288 F-Secure Product Manager

    Windows allows you to tag a game (or application) through the xbox game bar settings if it is not detected. While in game, hit windows key + G (or what is your game bar shortcut). In the ui, click the settings icon and then select "Remember this is a game".

    -Cale

  • F-User9
    F-User9 Posts: 13 Enthusiast

    Cale--

    Thanks for your input.

    You said, "Windows allows you to tag a game (or application) through the xbox game bar settings if it is not detected"

    This is true, but it requires manual effort and steps on the part of the end user...and most of them don't even know what an X-box game bar is, or how to get to it.

    It also proves that Windows 10 is a FAIL at consistently detecting games in the first place (it's yet to detect any of the many games on my PC, none of which are old or obscure games).

    The average PC use will have NO idea how to jump through hoops to manually tell Windows to recognize something as a game.

    Please stop relying on Microsoft's very buggy game detection, or at least relying SOLELY on Microsoft. It is insanity to do so.

    Having F-Secure UNNECESSARILY rely on an already near-worthless 'feature' from another provider (Microsot Windows) that still does NOT work right much of the time is extremely illogical on F-Secure's part!

    Bring back the manual on/off game mode (even if you also keep the crappy autodetection via Windows). It will cost you nothing. It will solve the problem for many gamers who are frustrated with F-Secure Safe and Windows buggy game detection. I for one, and all my gamer friends, will never again purchase any F-Secure product until you fix this problem.

  • jaykay
    jaykay Posts: 1 New Member

    So F-Secure prefers to create a bad user experience for its customers. Very unfortunate.

  • Game Mode detection still FAILS for F-Secure in January 2023 (for me, at least).

    Windows 'game mode' detection is notoriously flaky & undependable. And many users are even forced to disable the Windows Game Bar due to lag, performance, or other reasons.

    So WHY does F-Secure insist on letting a flaky Windows app decide if a game is running or not? Why not return control to F-Secure users? A SIMPLE on/off game mode switch is all we ask for. Why did you remove this 100% necessary option from us?

    Fix: Return the option for manual game mode On or Off. Thank you for considering this, which many F-Secure Safe users want and have asked for.