For all Linux gamers, the wait is (almost) over. Epic Games announced plans to bring Fortnite to Linux as part of a major overhaul of its Easy Anti-Cheat system. The company is developing a new version, called EAC Linux v2, designed to offer protection against cheating closer to what Windows players currently have.
Easy Anti-Cheat has supported native Linux games since 2014, while compatibility with Windows games running through Wine and Proton was added in 2021. However, enabling that support has always been up to individual developers, and many have chosen not to because the Linux implementation offered weaker protection than Windows.
That’s why Fortnite has remained unavailable on Linux. Now, Epic says this will finally change.
The company plans to test EAC Linux v2 in Fortnite first, using the game as a real-world test before making the updated anti-cheat technology available to other developers. The goal is to give studios stronger protection against cheating while making it easier to support Linux players.
One interesting detail is that the new system won’t require a dedicated kernel-level anti-cheat driver. Unlike its Windows counterpart, EAC Linux v2 will rely on security mechanisms already in the Linux kernel, including Kernel Lockdown, IOMMU, and eBPF.
Players will be prompted to install a systemd service when launching a protected game for the first time. The service will run only while the game is active and stop when the player exits.
However, there is a catch. Epic’s proposed security requirements are strict. Systems will need TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, signed kernels and kernel modules, Measured Boot, and several additional security features enabled.
The requirements also include disabling kexec, enabling Kernel Lockdown’s integrity mode, and activating the BPF Linux Security Module. Users running custom kernels or heavily modified Linux installations may need to make changes before they can play.
On the distribution side, Epic has already published an initial list of trusted signing authorities covering Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, openSUSE, Bazzite, Rocky Linux, AlmaLinux, and others.
That doesn’t mean every installation of these distributions will be compatible. The required security features must also be enabled and correctly configured.
Epic says users won’t need to keep these settings enabled permanently. They can maintain a separate boot entry configured specifically for protected games, leaving their regular Linux environment unchanged.
Unfortunately, Steam Deck owners will have to wait. According to Epic, Valve’s handheld currently lacks support for some of the required features, although discussions between the two companies are ongoing in hopes of finding a solution.
The company also clarified that developers already using the existing Linux version of Easy Anti-Cheat won’t be forced to migrate. They can continue using the older implementation for broader compatibility or adopt EAC Linux v2 for stronger protection.
As for Fortnite itself, Epic hasn’t announced a release date or explained exactly how the game will be distributed on Linux. The company says the initial deployment will serve as a testing phase, with the technology expanding to other games once its effectiveness has been validated.
For additional details, see Epic’s official announcement.
