Fortnite Linux preview teases EAC Linux v2 but no date

Epic is taking a measured step toward bringing Fortnite to Linux, but don’t expect to load the Battle Bus on your Linux PC just yet. The company is releasing a preview of its Epic Games Launcher on Linux, and says it is rebuilding its anti-cheat software to make Fortnite playable there in the future. For now, Fortnite isn’t available on Linux, but the groundwork could change that down the line.

The big hurdle has long been anti-cheat. Epic’s Easy Anti-Cheat (EAC) currently supports Linux in some form, yet Fortnite itself has not run on the platform. In a new update, Epic is rolling out what it calls EAC Linux v2. The plan is to have EAC v2 work with a broad set of Linux distributions and security requirements, with the goal of a smoother, safer gaming experience for Linux players.

Epic says it will pilot EAC Linux v2 in Fortnite first, while collaborating closely with Linux distribution maintainers. That collaboration is meant to ensure the anti-cheat stack can operate under a variety of kernel configurations and system setups. There’s no estimated timeline on when Fortnite will finally appear on Linux, and Epic clarified that SteamOS compatibility is not guaranteed at this stage, noting the Steam Deck currently lacks the features needed by EAC v2.

Beyond Fortnite, Epic is hopeful the improvements will be shared with other developers. The company says it plans to make the Linux-specific anti-cheat improvements available to third-party studios, potentially helping more games reach Linux players without each developer building their own Linux solution from scratch.

For readers, the practical takeaway is simple: if you’re a Linux gamer who’s been waiting for Fortnite, the road ahead is longer but now clearer. The Linux launcher preview means Epic is committed to working with communities and distributions to hammer out the security and compatibility pieces before a public release. If you’re curious about specifics like which distributions will be first or how performance will compare with Windows, those details will come as Epic shares more test results and a release plan.

What happens next could hinge on how well the EAC Linux v2 pilot goes in the wild and how quickly Epic can align with distribution maintainers and hardware configurations. For now, the company is focusing on stability and security, two areas that historically hold back new platform launches.

In the meantime, Fortnite players in Windows, macOS, and consoles continue to play as usual. Linux users will want to watch for official updates from Epic and keep an eye on any developer forums or distro-specific notes for when a wider beta might begin.

As the next milestone approaches, Epic will share more detail about a potential public release date for Fortnite on Linux, but there isn’t one yet. The company says it will provide more information as EAC v2 matures and tests progress.

We don’t have confidence that we’d be able to combat cheating at scale under a wide array of kernel configurations including custom ones.

— Tim Sweeney (@TimSweeneyEpic) February 7, 2022