Apex Legends Linux ban wave sees 33% drop in cheaters

Respawn Entertainment now claims the amount of cheaters in Apex Legends has been reduced by 33%.

Like most free-to-play shooters, Apex Legends has been plagued with cheaters and hackers since its launch. The most controversial moment came when in the middle of a major Apex Legends tournament. A mysterious hacker gained access to Noyan “Genburten” Ozkose’s account and hijacked the entire event. This led to the postponement of the match and an apology from Respawn and EA.

To combat the continued influx of hackers ruining the competitive integrity of matches in both casual and ranked, developers made the surprising decision to remove Linux OS compatibility in the game. According to Respawn, the effects of this move have reportedly been very positive.

Apex Legends reduces cheaters by 33% after controversial update

Cheaters have been a major issue in Apex, so much so that many top players and pros have considered leaving the game. Numbers continued to decline, causing many to wonder if the game was dying.

By the end of October, Apex Legends was set to be removed from Linux and Steam Deck. This had Linux users quite frustrated. Some players found the move beneficial, as anything to stem the flow of cheaters was seen as a positive Other big games like GTA Online, Fortnite, Valorant, and League of Legends have also opted to leave Linux. Respawn explained its stance in an official announcement.

“The openness of the Linux operating system makes it attractive for cheaters and cheat developers. Linux cheats can bypass anti-cheats more easily. 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 to increase the difficulty of detection and prevention,” devs explained.

Respawn Entertainment has reported a 33% drop in cheaters since removing Linux compatibility. This reignited hopes among players for a properly competitive Apex Legends. Since the report, Respawn’s internal reports noted only a slight increase in cheater activity. Developers addressed the increase, stating that the “infection rate” had increased throughout the season. The team is “adapting and improving” its anti-cheat efforts to reduce the number of future issues.

Some fans still criticized Apex Legends, but most acknowledged and praised the reduction in cheater activity. Whether the trend continues depends on Respawn’s commitment to its security measures.