Games

Apex Legends Makes Controversial Change to Help Address Cheating Problem

Published

3 weeks ago

November 1, 2024

Christoph Rediske

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Key Takeaways

Respawn dropped Linux support for Apex Legends to improve its anti-cheat efforts, despite disappointing some players.
Apex Legends has faced ongoing issues with cheaters, prompting the decision to remove Linux support.
Although disappointing, Linux players can still use a workaround on Steam Deck to play Apex Legends.

Respawn Entertainment has revealed that Linux OS is no longer supported for Apex Legends, including on the Steam Deck. While the developer says this change will make stopping cheaters easier, the decision will disappoint those who enjoyed playing Apex Legends on the operating system.

It is no secret that Apex Legends has a problem with cheaters. Ever since the game was released at the beginning of 2019, Respawn has had to fight an uphill battle against cheaters and hackers who attempt to ruin the fun and competitive integrity of the battle royale. After numerous complaints from the community, the developer has put extra emphasis on addressing the cheating issue in Apex Legends and claimed new efforts would be put into play over the coming months to combat the problem. Recently, players learned of a new anti-cheat-related change.

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In a new developer update, Respawn announced that Linux users on PC and Steam Deck can no longer play Apex Legends. According to the developer, the game’s competitive integrity is a “top priority” in decision-making, and removing support for the Linux operating system will help with this initiative. While Linux provided another option to run the game, the “openness” of the operating system was a substantial vulnerability, providing a potential avenue for “a variety of impactful exploits and cheats.”

Linux Users Were Only a Small Part of Apex Legends’ Player Base

When making this decision, Respawn noted that it weighed the number of players using the Linux operating system versus the overall population for the game. Despite player numbers for Apex Legends declining on platforms like Steam in recent months, the size of the game’s player base on Linux devices was still very small in comparison. However, the dev update noted this segment of players still managed to find their way into a considerable number of games, making the risk of cheating significant.

Ultimately, this low player count and high cheating risk caused Respawn to drop Linux support. Even though this change is doubtlessly disappointing to Apex Legends players who used to play on Linux, the decision not to support a competitive shooter on the operating system is not unusual. Other popular competitive games, including Fortnite and Valorant, do not support Linux. In addition, there is a workaround for Apex Legends players on Steam Deck. Respawn pointed out that players could still access the game on Valve’s handheld system by installing Windows.

While Apex Legends continues to combat cheaters, Season 23 of the battle royale game is right around the corner. While not many details about the upcoming season are known, the developer has already started teasing it. Hopefully, the new seasonal update will include more anti-cheat measures to make Apex Legends more enjoyable for those who continue to play.

Conquer with character in Apex Legends, a free-to-play* Hero shooter where legendary characters with powerful abilities team up to battle for fame & fortune on the fringes of the Frontier.

Master an ever-growing roster of diverse legends, deep tactical squad play, and bold new innovations that go beyond the Battle Royale experience—all within a rugged world where anything goes. Welcome to the next evolution of Hero Shooter.

This game includes optional in-game purchases of virtual currency that can be used to acquire virtual in-game items, including a random selection of virtual in-game items.

Battle Royale

First-Person Shooter

Released: February 4, 2019
Publisher(s): Electronic Arts
Multiplayer: Online Multiplayer
Engine: Source on console/PC, Unreal Engine 4 on mobile
ESRB: T for Teen: Blood, Violence
Steam Deck Compatibility: yes
X|S Optimized: yes
PS Plus Availability: N/A
OpenCritic Rating: Strong
Cross Save: Cross Progression lets you share your game progress across PC, PlayStation®, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch
Cross-Platform Play: PC, PS4, Switch & Xbox One