Linux gamers, this is big news!
Epic Games adds complete Linux support for its Easy-Anti Cheat service, along with official SteamPlay (or Proton) and Wine compatibility.
And, right after that, BattleEye also announced official support for Proton.
Even though we expected this to happen sometime in the future, the introduction of Steam Deck changed the scene for gaming on Linux.
If you aren’t aware, Steam Deck is powered by Linux, which is why Epic Games was interested in expanding support to the Linux platform.
So, safe to say, if it wasn’t for Valve’s effort with Steam Deck, the chances of getting Easy Anti-Cheat support on Linux were not good.
Multiplayer Gamers Can Consider Switching to Linux
With Easy Anti-Cheat support, many popular multiplayer titles like Apex Legends, Fortnite, Tom Clancy’s Division 2, Rust, and many other games could work flawlessly on Linux.
As per the announcement by Epic Games:
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.
So, it may take a while for developers to activate the anti-cheat support for various games. But, it should be a green signal for most of the games with Easy Anti-Cheat.
And, the addition of BattleEye can make games like Rainbow Six Siege, Ghost Recon Breakpoint, and more, playable on Linux.
Apex Legends is one of the multiplayer titles I like. And, I had to use Windows to do that. Hopefully, that changes soon, and I get to try it on Linux in the coming weeks!
Similarly, if you were nearly making a switch to Linux but held back for its compatibility issues with games, I’d say that’s halfway resolved!
One less reason to dual-boot Windows with Linux.
Sure, we still need the official support for other anti-cheat services and game clients. But, this is a start.
Now, all you have to do is wait for the game developers to enable the support for Steam Play to get most of the popular games working!
Steam Deck is Now a Compelling Choice for Gaming
While many were unsure of Steam Deck’s support for all AAA games, this should improve things!
Steam Deck should now be an easy choice for multiplayer gamers.
Wrapping Up
If Steam Deck steals the spotlight as a successful handheld gaming console, Linux gaming is going to change as we know it!
And, I think Epic Games adding Linux support to its anti-cheat service is just the beginning.
Maybe, we’ll never have to refer ProtonDB to play a Windows-only game on Linux; who knows
But, the future of Linux gaming seems promising this year!
If you are a developer, you might want to go through the announcement to get the latest SDK.
What do you think about Epic Games bringing Easy Anti-Cheat to Linux? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments down below.
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