Cheating is a big problem in the gaming world. And Apex Legends is not an exclusion. This very popular Battle Royale has gathered a huge fan base due to its exciting gameplay and different characters with their abilities. The only persistent problem the game is currently facing is the infestation of cheaters and hackers everywhere in the game.
Apex Legends was released on February 4, 2019. | Credit: Respawn Entertainment.
Not only does this disrupt gameplay, but it also causes players to become so frustrated that they uninstall it. However, Respawn Entertainment has taken a brave precaution to stop these characters and hackers Valorant And Fortnite implemented long ago.
Apex Legends Dropped Linux support to improve its anti-cheat efforts
Linux users on PC and Steam Deck will no longer be able to play Apex Legendssaid a recent one developer update from Respawn. Removing support for the Linux operating system will help the developer’s initiative to maintain the game’s competitive integrity, which they say is a “top priority” in decision-making. Linux offered another way to play the game, but it is “openness” was a serious mistake that could have made this possible “a variety of impactful exploits and cheats.”
Respawn stated that it took into account both the total number of players and the number of players running Linux to reach this conclusion. The number Apex Legends player base on Linux devices was still quite small, even though the game’s player base on platforms like Steam had dwindled in recent months.
Nevertheless, the developer update pointed out that this demographic of players still had access to a significant portion of the games, posing a serious risk of cheating. This decision by EA could also be a huge blow to Valve recently collaborated with the operating system behind Steam Deck.
Ultimately, this low player count and high risk of cheating led to Respawn dropping support for Linux. Although Apex Legends players who previously played on Linux are no doubt disappointed by this change; it is not unusual for the operating system not to support a competitive shooter.
Linux is not supported by Valorant or Fortnitetwo other well-known competitive games. Moreover, players are from Apex Legends on Steam Deck have a solution. By installing Windows, players could still access the game on Valve’s portable system, according to Respawn.
Apex Legends Will continue ‘Major systematic change’ at EA
Apex Legends hasn’t taken monetization to its limits. | Credit: Respawn Entertainment.
After implementing a change to teach the cheaters a lesson, EA now gets one ‘major systematic change’ for Apex Legends. After soft monetization results for the latest live services game update and adjustments to the Battle Pass offering, Electronic Arts is rethinking its strategy for the game. The company’s CEO, Andrew Wilson, stated about a company fiscal second quarter 2025 earnings call:
After changes to the Battle Pass build, we didn’t see the increase in monetization we expected. Two things have become clear in the free-to-play FPS category. Firstly, in the competitive landscape where brand, a strong core player base and quality mechanics are more important than ever, ‘Apex’ has proven to be a compelling franchise for us and a stalwart in the industry. Second, major systemic changes are needed to achieve significant growth and reengagement. We will continue to focus on preserving and breadth of content serving our global community as we work to drive 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 doesn’t expect a sequel to “Apex Legends” but rather more significant changes in the current game, where EA will be “investing in two vectors.”
However, this does not mean that there is one “Apex Legends 2.” Wilson stated that EA is currently not interested in releasing another version of the game, in response to an analyst who inquired about the likelihood of a follow-up game instead of a redesign of the current title, which released in 2019. According to Wilson, “Version two has almost never been as successful as version one in the history of gaming.”
What is your opinion on this brave step by EA? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section.