EA removes Apex Legends from Steam Deck
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WCCF Tech ☛ Apex Legends Removes Steam Deck Support Due To Cheating
EA and Respawn Entertainment have announced on the official EA website that they are shifting away from Linux support for Apex Legends. This means that those using a Steam Deck will no longer be able to play the game, as the Steam Deck runs Linux OS. This move likely comes as a shock to many, as games such as these are quite popular to play on handheld consoles. However, EA mentions that they are dropping support for Linux OS in an attempt to maintain "competitive integrity" and to fight off cheaters. This isn't the only game to drop Steam Deck support, as Grand Theft Auto V also went from being the most played game on the Steam Deck to unsupported due to Rockstar Games adding an anti-cheat that is unsupported on Steam Deck.
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Notebook Check ☛ EA pulls plug on Apex Legends Linux version due to anti-cheat concerns
Linux gamers who play Apex Legends will no longer be able to access the game. EA apparently made the decision due to cheaters exploiting the platform's customizable nature to circumvent anti-cheat measures.
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Neowin ☛ Apex Legends pulls Linux and Steam Deck support to stop cheaters
One of the biggest contenders in the battle royal space is Apex Legends, and thanks to its use of Easy Anti-Cheat, Linux and Steam Deck, players have been able to play the game via Proton for years now. Something that many other high-profile multiplayer games block. However, all that stops now. EA and developer Respawn Entertainment are officially pulling Apex Legends support for the platform entirely due to cheating and exploit concerns.
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Apex Legends is Dropping Linux and Steam Deck Support
Apex Legends is taking a significant step that’s sure to be unpopular with a good number of players. EA and Respawn Entertainment have announced that the game is dropping support for the Steam Deck. As part of their efforts to combat cheating in the free-to-play battle royale shooter, the companies have identified Linux as an easy pathway for cheats and exploits. That, of course, is the operating system that the Steam Deck runs on, which means support for the portable device is being dropped as well.
“In our efforts to combat cheating in Apex, we’ve identified Linux OS as being a path for a variety of impactful exploits and cheats,” EA writes. “As a result, we’ve decided to block Linux OS access to the game. While this will impact a small number of Apex players, we believe the decision will meaningfully reduce instances of cheating in our game.
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PC Gamer ☛ Apex Legends ditches Steam Deck support: EA says Linux is 'a path for a variety of impactful exploits and cheats'
Bad news, Steam Deck shooters: Electronic Arts has determined that Linux is "a path for a variety of impactful exploits and cheats" in Apex Legends, and it has thus decided to block anyone using the OS from accessing the game.
"The openness of the Linux operating systems makes it an attractive one for cheaters and cheat developers," the Apex anticheat team wrote in an update explaining its decision.
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The Verge ☛ Apex Legends is taking away its support for the Steam Deck and Linux
Apex Legends is one of the only battle royale games that lets you play on a Steam Deck gaming handheld — Fortnite, Valorant, PUBG and more never supported it in the first place, citing concerns about anti-cheat. But today, Electronic Arts and Respawn are taking the game away for that very same reason.
“In our efforts to combat cheating in Apex, we’ve identified Linux OS as being a path for a variety of impactful exploits and cheats. As a result, we’ve decided to block Linux OS access to the game,” writes EA, in a blog post explaining the decision.
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Windows Central ☛ "While the population of Linux users is small, their impact infected a fair amount of players’ games." Apex Legends can't be played on Steam Deck anymore, and EA has explained why.
Electronic Arts (EA) and Respawn Entertainment's free-to-play title Apex Legends is no longer playable on Linux, including Steam Deck, as shared in an update on Thursday. This decision is due to a focus on combating cheating, something EA claims is common on Linux due to the platform's open nature.
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Digital Trends ☛ EA removes Apex Legends from Steam Deck due to Linux cheating
Electronic Arts announced Thursday that it’ll be removing Steam Deck and Linux players’ access to its battle royale Apex Legends in an effort to combat cheating, effective immediately.
In a post on the Apex Legends forums (spotted by The Verge) an EA spokesperson said it made this decision as part of its anti-cheat efforts. Basically, EA found that many of the exploits and cheats it’s trying to combat came through Linux distros. So it decided to block access for Linux users. And since Steam Deck runs on Linux by default (SteamOS is built from Debian and uses a layer called Proton to make Windows and Mac games compatible), that meant Steam Deck had to go.
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Apex Legends Drops Steam Deck Support Over Rampant Cheating
EA and Respawn Entertainment are making a change to Apex Legends that will no longer allow players to access the game via Linux OS, including Steam Deck using Linux.
The developers announced the shift away from Linux support in a post on its website. Although it’s a move that will no doubt surprise those affected, EA says dropping support for the OS option is part of the company’s wider initiative to maintain “competitive integrity” and fight off cheaters.
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Apex Legends Implements Controversial Change to Tackle Cheating Issues
Respawn Entertainment recently announced that it will no longer support Linux OS for Apex Legends, including on platforms like the Steam Deck. This decision has stirred a mix of reactions within the gaming community. The developer asserts that this change is aimed at enhancing the game’s integrity by making it easier to combat cheating. However, for many players who have enjoyed Apex Legends on Linux, this news is disheartening. The Linux community has grown increasingly devoted, often praising the flexibility and performance benefits of gaming on this operating system. The shift away from Linux support not only affects individual gamers but also raises questions about inclusivity in the gaming industry.
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For Real? EA Drops Linux (and Steam Deck) Support for Apex Legends to Curb Cheating
I am excited to see where gaming on Linux is headed, but sadly, many big shot game developers do not seem to look at it the same way, and the platform is usually ignored as a result.
The most glaring pain point for Linux gamers is kernel-level anti-cheat software like Easy Anti-Cheat, BattlEye, and Vanguard, where the game developers do not add support for Linux, resulting in bans or the games' refusal to run.
Electronic Arts (EA) did something similar recently with Battlefield 1, where Linux and Steam Deck users were booted off after they implemented their new kernel-level anti-cheat.
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Steam Deck game support for Apex Legends is no more, thanks to EA Linux ban
Yet another title under the EA umbrella has taken steps to block Linux OS gaming PCs, and the Steam Deck, from being able to access the game. The Apex Legends team posted an update blaming Linux for a high proportion of “impactful exploits and cheats”, leading to this drastic action being taken.
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EA bans Linux gamers from Apex Legends to 'meaningfully reduce' cheating in the battle royale
EA has made the decision to block Linux gamers - including, of course, Steam Deck owners (at least those who haven't switched away from SteamOS) - from playing its popular battle royale, Apex Legends.
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EA Says Linux Is Path for "Impactful Exploits and Cheats"
Linux is an attractive system for cheaters, according to EA, due to its openness, and they are hard to detect when people emulate cheats for the Windows OS as if they are on Linux "in order to increase the difficulty of detection and prevention."
So the team decided to cut off access to the OS altogether. However, "playing on handhelds, such as the Steam Deck, is still possible if the user opts to install Windows."
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EA blocks GNU/Linux from Apex Legends, claims GNU/Linux is more for cheaters than gamers
EA Games has officially removed GNU/Linux support for Apex Legends, and the decision has left players outraged. In this video, we dive into why EA decided to drop GNU/Linux support and the controversy surrounding their anti-cheat technology, which they claim can’t handle the open-source platform.
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EA says you can blame Linux cheaters for removing Apex Legends on Steam Deck
EA is removing Apex Legends on Steam Deck after realizing unscrupulous players were using Linux to cheat in the FPS game. EA announced the decision in a brief help post and said the removal was immediate, so that’s the end of that.
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Apex Legends will not support Linux and Linux-based Steam Decks anymore because of cheating
Prominent companies like Valve have tried to push Linux as a worthwhile gaming platform for a while now. However, some game developers argue that the open-source OS is not viable, especially for multiplayer games, since their anti-cheat systems, like BattlEye are incompatible.
Developer Respawn Entertainment and publisher EA recently shared some harsh insights about Linux as a gaming platform. Operating systems based on the open-source kernel aren't as reliable as Windows for anti-cheat systems, forcing Apex Legends to abandon official support for the platform.
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Apex Legends was a top 50 Steam Deck game, but EA's dropping Valve's handheld because it can't tell if those players are actually dirty cheating Linux users
EA has announced that it's pulling Linux support for Apex Legends, meaning that the game is no longer officially supported on Steam Deck. The devs say it's down to just how hard it is to catch cheaters on the operating system.
"The openness of the Linux operating systems makes it an attractive one for cheaters and cheat developers," the devs explain in the announcement. "Linux cheats are indeed harder to detect and the data shows that they are growing at a rate that requires an outsized level of focus and attention from the team for a relatively small platform. There are also cases in which cheats for the Windows OS get emulated as if it’s on Linux in order to increase the difficulty of detection and prevention."
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Respawn Blocks Apex Legends on Linux
Respawn has announced that those using Linux OS will no longer be able to play Apex Legends. That includes those playing on Steam Deck, where Apex Legends is currently available on the marketplace.
Respawn says its a decision made to fight issues with cheating in the game.
“In our efforts to combat cheating in Apex, we’ve identified Linux OS as being a path for a variety of impactful exploits and cheats,” the studio said. “As a result, we’ve decided to block Linux OS access to the game.”
Days later:
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No Apex Legends 2 Followed by Linux Ban Before Season 23
The massive decline in player numbers for Apex Legends has sparked widespread speculation that developer Respawn Entertainment is about to abandon the game. Season 23 of Apex Legends premieres this week, and while Respawn has put an end to rumors of a sequel, the game has undergone significant changes in preparation. Yes, there won't be any Alex Legends 2, and Respawn has officially confirmed it. But that's how what made the fans upset lately.
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Sorry Steam Deck Apex Legends players, those Linux cheaters means the battle royale won't be officially supported on the handheld anymore
Obviously a majority of players that play games like Apex Legends will do so on console or PC, particularly if they want to get good at the game, but there will be plenty of those who just want to have a fun casual time laying in bed playing it on their Steam Deck. Unfortunately, though, unless you're a bit tech savvy, you now won't be able to - Apex Legends is currently officially available via Steam, and as such has been a game you can play on Valve's handheld, the Steam Deck. Except earlier this week, Respawn announced it's pulling support for Linux, which the Steam Deck runs on.
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Respawn blocks Linux users from Apex Legends
Developer Respawn has blocked access for the operating system after determining that it was being used for a lot of the cheating within its battle royale smash hit, according to a post on the EA forums. This change also means that Steam Deck owners will no longer be able to play Apex Legends as Valve's hardware by default runs Linux.