Summary
With Season 23 ofApex Legendsin full swing, Respawn Entertainment has given an update on anti-cheat efforts. While the work will seemingly never stop to prevent cheaters from ruining the competitive integrity of the battle royale, this latest news was encouraging for theApex Legendscommunity.
Competitive battle royale games are often a breeding ground for those looking to gain an advantage by nefarious means, andApex Legendshas been no different. However, Respawn has reemphasized its commitment to cracking down on cheaters over the past year, instituting various measures. The developer evencut support for Linux operating systems inApex Legendsto help stem the spread of cheating. While the move cut off some fans' typical way of playing the game, the developer argued that Linux was a significant vulnerability, providing an avenue for many unsavory characters to sneak through the cracks. Recently, the community received a look at the results of this decision from the developer.
In a tweet, Respawn provided players with a look at how its anti-cheat efforts were fairing in Season 23 ofApex Legends. According to the developer, things have taken an encouraging turn since the removal of support for Linux systems. This was shown in a graph detailing the weekly infection rate forApex Legends’ battle royale modes. As illustrated by the sharp decline following the week of June 02, 2025, the game had seen a 33% drop in infection since the start of Season 23 and the removal of Linux systems.
Apex Legends Sees Cheating Decline in Season 23
While Respawn attributed cutting Linux support as a primary reason for the cheating decline, it noted that other anti-cheat initiatives had been used since thestart of Season 23 ofApex Legends. Understandably, the developer did not divulge details about these new systems, but many fans found the update encouraging. Some Twitter users in the replies provided their own anecdotal evidence of the decline, stating they had encountered fewer cheaters lately.
It is worth noting that the graph did see a slight uptick in infection rates over the last few weeks. When concluding its post, the developer acknowledged that security risks toApex Legendswere “always evolving.” However, Respawn said it looked to continue to refine itsanti-cheat systems forApex Legendsto combat these threats in the coming days.
It remains to be seen if this reduction in infection rate for thebattle royale modes inApex Legendswill be enough to get more players to return to the title. The average player count forApex Legendshas dropped substantially on Steam from where it was a few years ago, with cheating issues likely playing a part. Hopefully, Respawn can continue to make improvements on the anti-cheat front to make the game as fair as possible for those still playing.
Apex Legends
WHERE TO PLAY
Conquer with character in Apex Legends, a free-to-play* Hero shooter where legendary characters with powerful abilities team up to battle for fame & fortune on the fringes of the Frontier.Master an ever-growing roster of diverse legends, deep tactical squad play, and bold new innovations that go beyond the Battle Royale experience—all within a rugged world where anything goes. Welcome to the next evolution of Hero Shooter.This game includes optional in-game purchases of virtual currency that can be used to acquire virtual in-game items, including a random selection of virtual in-game items.
