Apex Legends Follows Valorant and Fortnite to Manage Anti-Cheating But That Comes at a Great Cost

Cheating is a big issue in the world of gaming. And Apex Legends is not an exclusion. This highly popular battle royale has garnered a huge fanbase because of its exciting gameplay and various characters with their abilities. The only persisting issue that the game is facing right now is the infestation of cheaters and hackers all around the game. 

This is not only disrupting the gameplay but also making players so frustrated that they are uninstalling it. However, Respawn Entertainment has taken a brave precautionary measure to stop these characters and hackers, which Valorant and Fortnite implemented long ago.

Apex Legends Has Dropped Linux Support to Improve Its Anti-Cheat Efforts

Linux users on PC and Steam Deck are no longer able to play Apex Legends, according to a recent developer update from Respawn. Removing support for the Linux operating system will aid in the developer’s initiative to maintain the game’s competitive integrity, which they say is a “top priority” in decision-making. Linux offered a different way to play the game, but its “openness” was a serious flaw that could allow “a variety of impactful exploits and cheats.”

Respawn stated that it considered both the total number of players and the number of players running Linux when coming to this conclusion. The number of Apex Legends players on Linux devices was still quite small, even though the game’s player base on platforms like Steam had been dropping in recent months.

Nonetheless, the developer update pointed out that this player demographic was still able to access a sizable portion of games, posing a serious risk of cheating. This decision from EA might be a huge blow to Valve as well, that recently collaborated with the OS behind Steam Deck.

In the end, this low player count and high risk of cheating led to Respawn discontinuing Linux support. Although Apex Legends players who previously played on Linux are undoubtedly disappointed by this change, it is not uncommon for the operating system to not support a competitive shooter.

Linux is not supported by Valorant or Fortnite, two other well-known competitive games. Moreover, players of Apex Legends on Steam Deck have a workaround. By installing Windows, players could still access the game on Valve’s portable system, according to Respawn.

Apex Legends Will Go Through ‘Large Systematic Change’ at EA

After implementing a change to give a lesson to the cheaters, now EA is going to have a ‘large systematic change’ for Apex Legends. After soft monetization results for the most recent update to the live-services game and modifications to its Battle Pass offering, Electronic Arts is reconsidering its strategy for the game. The company CEO Andrew Wilson stated on a company fiscal second-quarter 2025 earning call:

Following changes to the battle pass construct, we did not see the lift in monetization we had expected. Two things have become clear in the free-to-play FPS category. First, in the competitive landscape where brand, a strong core player base, and high-quality mechanics matter more than ever, ‘Apex’ has proven to be a compelling franchise for us and an industry stalwart. Second, to drive significant growth and re-engagement, large systematic change is required. We will continue to focus on retention and breadth of content in service of our global community as we work towards more significant, innovative changes in the future.

Later in the earnings call, Wilson elaborated on plans to redesign the game, making it clear that he does not anticipate a sequel to “Apex Legends” but rather more significant changes to the current game, where EA will be “investing on two vectors.”

However, this doesn’t mean there is going to be an “Apex Legends 2.” Wilson stated that EA is not currently interested in releasing any next version of the game in response to an analyst who inquired about the likelihood of a sequel game instead of a redesign of the current title, which came out in 2019. According to Wilson, “The version two thing has almost never been as successful as the version one thing in the history of gaming.”

What’s your opinion on this brave step by EA? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section.