Apex Legends Steam Deck Support Removed Due to Rampant Cheating

Apex Legends Removes Steam Deck Support Due to Cheating Surge

Electronic Arts (EA) has ended Apex Legends support for all Linux-based systems, including the Steam Deck, citing a significant increase in cheating originating from this platform. This decision, while impacting a segment of the player base, is intended to safeguard the game's integrity for the majority of players.

EA's community manager, EA_Mako, explained that the open nature of Linux makes it a haven for cheat developers. These cheats are difficult to detect and are proliferating at an unsustainable rate, requiring disproportionate resources from the development team.

The flexibility of Linux also allows cheaters to effectively mask their activities, hindering EA's anti-cheat efforts. This, coupled with the inherent difficulty in distinguishing legitimate Steam Deck users from cheaters (as Linux is the default OS), led to the difficult but necessary decision to block all Linux systems.

EA_Mako stressed the difficult choice of prioritizing the overall player experience over the convenience of a smaller subset. The company weighed the number of legitimate Linux users against the broader impact of unchecked cheating, ultimately deciding that maintaining fair gameplay for the larger community was paramount.

The technical challenges of reliably identifying legitimate users on Linux-based systems, particularly the Steam Deck, further solidified EA's decision. While disappointing to some, the company maintains this is a crucial step to preserve the fairness and enjoyment of Apex Legends for its primary player base on other platforms.