Epic is bringing Fortnite to Linux

Fortnite becomes available to Linux gamers for the first time, expanding its player base and potentially setting a new standard for anti-cheat on the platform.

Epic Games is developing a new version of its Easy Anti-Cheat (EAC) system, dubbed EAC Linux v2, to enable Fortnite to run on Linux. This effort is a prerequisite for bringing the popular game to Linux-based operating systems, addressing past concerns about cheating at scale. Epic aims to collaborate with Linux distribution maintainers to ensure security requirements are met before releasing Fortnite via the Epic Games Launcher on Linux. The company also intends to make these anti-cheat improvements available to other game developers. While a timeline for Fortnite's Linux launch remains unspecified, Epic is exploring compatibility with Valve's SteamOS and the Steam Deck. However, Fortnite will not be available on Valve's Steam store.

Epic's initiative to rebuild its anti-cheat system for Linux signifies a broader industry trend toward supporting gaming on open-source operating systems. By making EAC Linux v2 available to other developers, Epic could lower the barrier to entry for more games to launch on Linux, fostering a more robust gaming ecosystem beyond Windows. This move could challenge the dominance of Windows in PC gaming and increase the viability of Linux as a primary gaming platform.

The development also highlights the ongoing competition and collaboration between major players like Epic Games and Valve. While Epic is not bringing Fortnite to Steam, their work on Linux anti-cheat and potential Steam Deck compatibility indicates a shared interest in growing the Linux gaming market. This could lead to further innovations in cross-platform compatibility and anti-cheat solutions, ultimately benefiting players across various Linux distributions and hardware.