Epic to Bring Fortnite to Linux with New Anti-Cheat
Fortnite is coming to Linux. Epic Games announced on 14 October 2026 that it is building a Linux version of its online shooter, linked to a rebuild of its cheat protection.
The blocker was anti-cheat. Easy Anti-Cheat, the software that scans for cheating tools, is required to play Fortnite. Epic said its existing Linux support was less protective than the Windows version, so most developers, including Epic itself, chose not to switch it on, according to GameSpot.
The replacement is called EAC Linux v2. Epic said it is native to Linux and does not need Proton, a translation layer that lets Windows games run on Linux. The aim is to close the protection gap with Windows and combat increasingly sophisticated cheats, as set out in its announcement titled 'Awesome Gaming on Linux Without Cheating', published by Epic Online Services.
It leans on built-in Linux security. EAC Linux v2 will use a signed kernel, signed kernel modules and secure boot with attestation, a check that confirms the computer started in a trusted state. Epic has published system requirements for the new version.
For players, there is one extra install step. A game using EAC Linux v2 will ask on first launch to install an anti-cheat systemd service, a small background helper that runs only while a protected game is running. Players on other systems who skipped Easy Anti-Cheat during installation must already install it before Fortnite will start.
Epic will test the system on Fortnite first. The company plans to pilot EAC Linux v2 in Fortnite to trial it live and refine it. Once its effectiveness is validated, Epic will offer it to other developers making multiplayer games for Linux.
The work sits alongside a wider Linux push. Epic released a preview of its Games Launcher with native Linux support in October 2026. It has invited maintainers of Linux distributions, the different packaged versions of the operating system, to make contact to align settings and add their signing keys to the well-known list EAC Linux v2 uses to verify systems. Epic said its goal is to make that key list open source.
There is history here. Easy Anti-Cheat has supported native Linux game clients since 2014. In 2021, Epic added support for running Windows builds on Linux through Wine and Proton. Developers with that older support switched on can stay on it for maximum compatibility or move to v2 for stronger protection. Epic said it will co-host a panel with Fedora Project Leader Jef Spaleta later this year on fair competitive play on Linux.
What makes this stand out is the test case. Fortnite is a live-service game, released once and then updated in seasons after launch, with a huge and fast-moving player base. If the new checks hold there, other studios get a clearer path to Linux.
