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Today, Easy Anti-Cheat from Epic Games / Epic Online Services has officially announced a full expansion for Linux including native builds and Wine + Proton. This is big for Linux Gaming and the Steam Deck.

For those who don't know, Epic Games owns Easy Anti-Cheat and earlier this year they made it free for all developers making Windows games. Today this has been expanded to fully support developers doing native Linux games (and macOS too).

Not only that, this is the big one we've been waiting for — they've also expanded Easy Anti-Cheat support officially for the Wine and Steam Play Proton compatibility layers.

Earlier this year, Easy Anti-Cheat for Windows games was made available to all developers, for free. Today, we extend support to Linux and Mac for developers who maintain full native builds of their games for these platforms.

To make it easy for developers to ship their games across PC platforms, support for the Wine and Proton compatibility layers on Linux is included. Starting with the latest SDK release, developers can activate anti-cheat support for Linux via Wine or Proton with just a few clicks in the Epic Online Services Developer Portal.

Sadly it's not an automatic thing for Wine and Proton, as developers do need to actively go and do those "few clicks" but it's a huge step. In the documentation, it says how developers need to "test and activate client module updates for Linux regularly in addition to Windows". Hopefully many developers will go and do it, since it sounds like very little effort on their part. Considering just how many of the most popular games use Easy Anti-Cheat, this is the start of something massive.

Have a favourite Windows game that doesn't work on Linux currently with Proton or Wine? Looks like it's time to politely ask them to hook it up. Just a few of those that would hopefully work if developers update include:

  • Apex Legends
  • Dead by Daylight
  • Fall Guys
  • Halo: The Master Chief Collection
  • Rust

A good time to remind game developers and readers to ensure you email us news tips, especially if a game enables this to start working so we don't miss it.

Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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114 comments
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einherjar Sep 23, 2021
Quoting: KimyrielleNot sure why they thought it would be a good idea to make developers perform a "few clicks" to enable other platform support. Developers quite frankly shouldn't have a say about what platforms people run their software on. Just enable it for all EAC games, with no way to turn it off. :S

Hm, freedom of choice - but not for game devs?
No one should be forced to support Linux IMHO.
1xok Sep 23, 2021
The greatest news since the release of Proton.

I don't really have the need myself, but the AC problem is holding Linux back as a gaming platform overall.

I think we are finally getting past the chicken/egg problem. Linux may not be a system for 99% of gamers. But it certainly appeals to more people than just 1%. If you want to be in control of your PC, go with Linux!
pb Sep 23, 2021
Darn, I hoped I could break the good news to my kids about Fall Guys, but apparently there's still some more waiting until that.
Mohandevir Sep 23, 2021
Quoting: 1xokThe greatest news since the release of Proton.

I don't really have the need myself, but the AC problem is holding Linux back as a gaming platform overall.

I think we are finally getting past the chicken/egg problem. Linux may not be a system for 99% of gamers. But it certainly appeals to more people than just 1%. If you want to be in control of your PC, go with Linux!

I look forward to see how SteamOS 3.0 will be usable on standard desktops... What if a Steam Deck fan decides to try SteamOS on his/her gaming PC and if there is something that makes it easy to install Nvidia drivers?
BielFPs Sep 23, 2021
Nice to finally have an official statement from Epic, Dead By Daylight will be a HUGE addition to Linux gaming.


Last edited by BielFPs on 23 September 2021 at 8:27 pm UTC
wolfyrion Sep 23, 2021
Very nice news indeed...

I feel like I could... like I could... like I could... TAKE ON THE WORLD!!

oupppsss....

I mean ..I feel like I could... like I could... like I could... BUY SOME STEAM GAMES!
Zelox Sep 23, 2021
Quoting: rustybroomhandleWe're about to find out how little some of these publishers/developers actually care about Linux. "just a few clicks", can they be bothered?

Trust me when I say this, its not really just a click on a button. Iv say this from experience as a software developer.
No devs dont care about linux, they care about making money. This is just a step for epic to futureproof themselves. Valve dont really care about linux at all eather. But linux is something that works great for valves ideology, invent tools that passionate people will do all the work with. The only thing valve care about is selling games, hardware and make there client futureproof. Windows is a threat for any game client, and valve is very aware of this. Windows store will probably be even harder to not use in windows 11.

Sry for sounding so negative, but Im really tired of hearing, its just a click on a button.
And this is great news :).


Last edited by Zelox on 23 September 2021 at 8:36 pm UTC
wvstolzing Sep 23, 2021
Sorry about the off-topic post, but ... does anyone else see 'EAC' and immediately think of 'Exact Audio Copy'?

In eons past, I ripped countless CDs with it.
RossBC Sep 23, 2021
Guess we can ask devs "politely" to turn it on, with the games in question, steam discussion forums.
Will more then likely boil down to developer awareness as well.
elmapul Sep 23, 2021
Quoting: Mohandevir
Quoting: dubigrasuSo, Fortnite?

Yeah... For that to happen, Epic will have to make the few clicks... It's not a given!
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