Fortnite is finally coming to Linux after Epic Games rebuilt Easy Anti-Cheat, but Steam Deck support remains uncertain.

Background: 2014 support, 2021 compatibility, and the Fortnite blocker

Epic has announced a rebuilt version of its Easy Anti-Cheat software, called Easy Anti-Cheat Linux v2 in its blog post, to make Fortnite run on Linux configurations. The company had spent years worrying that it could not shut down cheaters operating across all associated kernel configurations.

The timeline starts in 2014, when Epic says Easy Anti-Cheat began supporting native Linux game clients. In 2021, Epic added support for running Windows game builds on Linux through Wine/Proton. That support was opt-in for each game, and many games did not opt in because the Linux implementation could not offer the same level of protection as the Windows implementation. Epic links that gap to Fortnite not being available on Linux yet, while saying the game is coming.

Epic also explains why the protection gap matters commercially. It describes online game cheating as once a small cottage industry, but now a billion-dollar market in which cheat operators sell subscriptions to frequently updated tools that require minimal technical skill. Without effective anti-cheat measures, the company says, enough players can leave a game that it is no longer financially viable for the developer to run.

Development: Moving from a Windows kernel driver to Linux security features

On Windows, Epic says Easy Anti-Cheat relies heavily on a kernel driver to protect games. That driver is not always active; it starts when a game is launched and stops when the player exits. For Easy Anti-Cheat Linux v2, Epic says it will not use an equivalent kernel module.

Instead, the rebuilt version will use existing Linux platform security features. The company lists signed kernel support, signed kernel modules, secure boot with attestation, measured boot, kernel lockdown Linux Security Modules support, and Input-Output Memory Management Unit support. It also says it will use its own extended Berkeley Packet Filter logic to maintain integrity and detect cheaters. These features are not available on every Linux distribution and may require configuration changes to activate.

Epic says Easy Anti-Cheat Linux v2 will bring existing Linux support much closer to the Windows version in the very near term. The first live test bed will be Fortnite, before the approach is made available to other multiplayer games. Developers that already use Easy Anti-Cheat may continue with the older, more compatible implementation if they prefer.

Latest Progress: System requirements, launcher preview, and Steam Deck status

Epic provides a detailed breakdown of the system requirements and conditions for Easy Anti-Cheat Linux v2. The company acknowledges that the details may be hard to understand for readers who do not use Linux. If someone tries to launch a protected game without meeting the requirements, they will see an error message. Epic says that failure will not lead to an account ban or similar retaliatory measure.

The announcement also includes a frequently asked questions section that covers specific secure boot keys. Alongside the anti-cheat update, Epic released a preview version of a new, features-light Epic Games Launcher. The blog describes this launcher as an openly “vibe-coded” storefront that now runs on Linux. Given Epic’s embrace of “AI first” development, the source also suggests that Easy Anti-Cheat may now be a vibe-coded production.

The biggest platform limitation is Steam Deck. Epic says the new Easy Anti-Cheat Linux v2 solution is not yet compatible with the handheld. The Steam Deck does not support the required features, according to Epic. The company says it is actively talking with Valve and hopes to support Steam Deck in the future, but for the foreseeable period it does not.

Current Stage: A Fortnite-led Linux test, with handheld support deferred

Epic’s path runs from native Linux support in 2014, to Wine/Proton compatibility in 2021, to the current announcement of Easy Anti-Cheat Linux v2. The project is now at a testing stage focused on Fortnite and Linux configurations, with stricter system requirements, no ban for launch errors, and a Linux Epic Games Launcher preview. Steam Deck remains outside the first phase until the required features become compatible or Epic and Valve reach a future solution.