Apex Legends is Dropping Linux and Steam Deck Support

"In our efforts to combat cheating in Apex, we've identified Linux OS as being a path for a variety of impactful exploits and cheats," EA says.

Posted By | On 01st, Nov. 2024

Apex Legends - Broken Moon

Apex Legends is taking a significant step that’s sure to be unpopular with a good number of players. EA and Respawn Entertainment have announced that the game is dropping support for the Steam Deck. As part of their efforts to combat cheating in the free-to-play battle royale shooter, the companies have identified Linux as an easy pathway for cheats and exploits. That, of course, is the operating system that the Steam Deck runs on, which means support for the portable device is being dropped as well.

“In our efforts to combat cheating in Apex, we’ve identified Linux OS as being a path for a variety of impactful exploits and cheats,” EA writes. “As a result, we’ve decided to block Linux OS access to the game. While this will impact a small number of Apex players, we believe the decision will meaningfully reduce instances of cheating in our game.

“Linux is used by default on the Steam Deck. There is currently no reliable way for us to differentiate a legitimate Steam Deck from a malicious cheat claiming to be a Steam Deck (via Linux).”

EA explains that with Linux cheats being harder to detect, though the decision to drop support for the OS – and by extension, the Steam Deck – was not an easy one, it was one that was necessary for the game’s health.

“The openness of the Linux operating systems makes it an attractive one for cheaters and cheat developers,” EA explains. “Linux cheats are indeed harder to detect and the data shows that they are growing at a rate that requires an outsized level of focus and attention from the team for a relatively small platform. There are also cases in which cheats for the Windows OS get emulated as if it’s on Linux in order to increase the difficulty of detection and prevention.

“We had to weigh the decision on the number of players who were legitimately playing on Linux/the Steam Deck versus the greater health of the population of players for Apex. While the population of Linux users is small, their impact infected a fair amount of players’ games. This ultimately brought us to our decision today.”

Of course, as EA reminds as well, if you’ve got Windows installed on your Steam Deck, you can still use the device to play Apex Legends– though Linux users are unfortunately out of luck.

“To eliminate this cheat vector, we have made the decision to prevent access to the game for Linux users,” the company says. “This means that Apex Legends will be unplayable immediately for those running this operating system. Playing on handhelds, such as the Steam Deck, is still possible if the user opts to install Windows.”

Apex Legends is available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC.


Amazing Articles You Might Want To Check Out!

Keep On Reading!

State of Play Coming in February – Rumor

State of Play Coming in February – Rumor

As in previous years, Sony is reportedly gearing up for a showcase of its upcoming titles, though which ones r...

Sniper Elite: Resistance -Everything You Need to Know

Sniper Elite: Resistance -Everything You Need to Know

Planning to buy Sniper Elite Resistance? Here are 15 things you need to know before you do so.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Trailer Highlights PC Graphical Presets

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Trailer Highlights PC Graphical Presets

Square Enix's award-winning role-playing game has also been verified for Steam Deck before its PC launch on Ja...

Marvel Rivals Studio Does Not Want to Sacrifice Fun For the Sake of Competitive Balance

Marvel Rivals Studio Does Not Want to Sacrifice Fun For the Sake of Competitive Balance

While NetEase Games wants Marvel Rivals to have a competitive scene, it wants the game to be for everyone, and...

Chernobylite 2: Exclusion Zone Kickstarter Campaign Begins, First and Third-Person Modes Confirmed

Chernobylite 2: Exclusion Zone Kickstarter Campaign Begins, First and Third-Person Modes Confirmed

The studio behind Chernobylite is asking for players to help with development through Kickstarter, as well as ...

The Blood of Dawnwalker Will Not Limit Exploration and Gameplay With Time Limit

The Blood of Dawnwalker Will Not Limit Exploration and Gameplay With Time Limit

While The Blood of Dawnwalker's narrative will feature some sort of 30-day time limit, the developer has confi...