"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.

What you need to know

• Electronic Arts and Respawn Entertainment's battle royale title Apex Legends is no longer playable on any devices running Linux.
• According to Electronic Arts, this is because the platform's openness attracts cheaters, with the team having to balance the security issues it causes against the number of players using Linux.
• As a result, Apex Legends is also no longer playable through Steam Deck, though anyone using the device can play Apex Legends by installing Windows instead.

If you're a big fan of battle royale games, you've got one less option for taking them on the go.

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.

"We had to weigh the decision on the number of players who were legitimately playing on Linux/the Steam Deck versus the greater health of the population of players for Apex. While the population of Linux users is small, their impact infected a fair amount of players’ games. This ultimately brought us to our decision today," the update explains.

EA notes that the team doesn't have any way of determining if a player is truly using a Steam Deck or simply running Linux and claiming to be on Valve's handheld. There is technically a workaround available, as Steam Deck owners can install Windows. If they go this route, then Apex Legends will be playable.

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EA continues to fight cheaters in Apex Legends

This isn't the first time that EA's struggle against cheaters in Apex Legends has caused problems for Steam Deck owners.

Almost exactly a year ago, Steam Deck players and all other Linux users were unable to access Apex Legends due to an issue with anti-cheat. While this issue was fixed, it perhaps should've been taken as an omen of things to come.

For all other players, Apex Legends is continuing to grow with new Legends, maps, modes, and more. An update earlier this year finally brought the promised 120 FPS support to Xbox Series X|S consoles, while other updates have seen the addition of wild new features like akimbo pistols.

Apex Legends is currently available on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch.