Epic Games’ Easy Anti-Cheat has finally been ported to Windows 11 on Arm, clearing one of the last major technical roadblocks that has kept mainstream multiplayer titles — most notably Fortnite — off Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ laptops and other Windows-on-Arm PCs.
The move comes after a collaboration between Epic Games and Qualcomm to bring the Epic Online Services Anti-Cheat (Easy Anti-Cheat) to Windows on Snapdragon devices. Epic’s announcement frames this as both a developer-facing SDK update and a platform compatibility change that will allow titles protected by Easy Anti-Cheat to run securely on Arm-based Windows 11 systems. This is intended to open the door for large multiplayer games to ship or be patched for Snapdragon X Series machines, and Epic has said Fortnite will be among the first to take advantage of the change. (onlineservices.epicgames.com)
Windows-on-Arm has evolved rapidly over the last two years: Microsoft’s Copilot+ PC initiative, the new Prism x86/x64-to-Arm emulation engine, and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X family of SoCs have shifted the conversation from “maybe one day” to “this year.” Still, anti-cheat is a special case — kernel-mode components and deep OS integration historically don’t translate through emulation cleanly. Epic’s work with Qualcomm addresses that gap at the platform and SDK level, enabling secure multiplayer experiences on Arm-based Windows 11 devices. (devblogs.microsoft.com, theverge.com)
For studios using Unreal Engine, Unity, or other engines, the EOS SDK distribution and sample projects are the logical starting points; Epic has flagged the SDK updates and samples to help developers add the new runtime modules into existing release workflows. The Epic Online Services SDK download and developer documentation remain the primary distribution channels for these updated components. (onlineservices.epicgames.com)
There are two parts to this reasoning:
Key concerns developers, IT departments, and users should weigh:
However, this is not a switch that flips overnight. The software ecosystem — from engine middleware to device drivers to developer priorities — must align. Expect a measured, pragmatic rollout: Fortnite and a handful of other titles will lead, followed by a slow trickle of additional games as studios decide support is worth the engineering effort.
In short: Easy Anti-Cheat on Windows-on-Arm removes a major technical blocker and is a necessary step toward a genuinely competitive Arm-based Windows gaming ecosystem, but it is not the final step. Developers, platform vendors, and anti-cheat providers will need to continue collaboration, prioritize driver compatibility with Windows hardening, and be transparent about telemetry and privacy to make this transition smooth and secure for players.
The rollout reduces one of the most visible compatibility hurdles for Arm gaming — but it does not erase the other challenges: performance parity, driver maturity, developer effort, and the persistent security and privacy questions tied to kernel-mode anti-cheat. Those are the next issues the industry must address as Arm-based Windows devices move from novelty to mainstream. (onlineservices.epicgames.com, theverge.com, devblogs.microsoft.com, thurrott.com)
Source: Thurrott.com Epic Games Brings Easy Anti-Cheat to Windows 11 on Arm
The move comes after a collaboration between Epic Games and Qualcomm to bring the Epic Online Services Anti-Cheat (Easy Anti-Cheat) to Windows on Snapdragon devices. Epic’s announcement frames this as both a developer-facing SDK update and a platform compatibility change that will allow titles protected by Easy Anti-Cheat to run securely on Arm-based Windows 11 systems. This is intended to open the door for large multiplayer games to ship or be patched for Snapdragon X Series machines, and Epic has said Fortnite will be among the first to take advantage of the change. (onlineservices.epicgames.com)Windows-on-Arm has evolved rapidly over the last two years: Microsoft’s Copilot+ PC initiative, the new Prism x86/x64-to-Arm emulation engine, and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X family of SoCs have shifted the conversation from “maybe one day” to “this year.” Still, anti-cheat is a special case — kernel-mode components and deep OS integration historically don’t translate through emulation cleanly. Epic’s work with Qualcomm addresses that gap at the platform and SDK level, enabling secure multiplayer experiences on Arm-based Windows 11 devices. (devblogs.microsoft.com, theverge.com)
Why anti-cheat is the last big barrier for Arm gaming
Most modern PC games are compiled for x64. For many apps, Windows' new Prism emulator hides that difference and produces acceptable performance. But anti-cheat systems are often different: they include kernel drivers, kernel-level hooks, and other low-level components that require native platform integration and cannot be reliably emulated.- Anti-cheat drivers often run in kernel mode to detect memory hooks, DLL injection, or unfamiliar kernel modules used by cheat software.
- Emulation layers typically do not emulate kernel subsystems or low-level drivers, meaning a kernel-mode anti-cheat that expects x64 semantics won’t run on Arm unless ported.
- The detection surface for an anti-cheat must be robust and reliable; any translation or shim risks both false negatives (missed cheats) and false positives (innocent software blocked).
What Epic actually released — and what developers must do
Epic’s work is delivered as a platform update to Easy Anti-Cheat and an associated Epic Online Services SDK release. In practical terms, Epic’s guidance — echoed by industry reporting — says that developers who want their titles to work on Windows-on-Arm must:- Update the anti-cheat bootstrapper used by their game.
- Ship or reference the Windows-on-Arm–compatible anti-cheat client module.
- Integrate the updated Easy Anti-Cheat/EOS SDK that includes the new Windows-on-Arm support.
For studios using Unreal Engine, Unity, or other engines, the EOS SDK distribution and sample projects are the logical starting points; Epic has flagged the SDK updates and samples to help developers add the new runtime modules into existing release workflows. The Epic Online Services SDK download and developer documentation remain the primary distribution channels for these updated components. (onlineservices.epicgames.com)
Why Fortnite matters — and what “battle-testing” means
Epic isn’t only releasing the SDK patch for third-party developers; it’s also using Fortnite as a test and demonstration vehicle. Fortnite’s global player base and frequent updates make it an excellent stress test for the Windows-on-Arm anti-cheat implementation. Epic’s statement explicitly calls out Fortnite as an early adopter that will help “battle-test” the new compatibility so other developers can benefit from what Epic and Qualcomm learn in production. (onlineservices.epicgames.com)There are two parts to this reasoning:
- Fortnite provides broad, real-world telemetry for the anti-cheat system under live conditions (millions of concurrent players, varied hardware, and region-specific network and driver configurations).
- A successful Fortnite rollout reduces friction for smaller developers who rely on Easy Anti-Cheat and want to support Windows-on-Arm with less integration effort.
The hardware side: Snapdragon X Series and Copilot+ PCs
This anti-cheat compatibility arrives at a moment when Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Series (X, X Plus, X Elite) is being positioned as a mainstream laptop class for Windows-on-Arm devices. Manufacturers are shipping Copilot+ laptops that meet Microsoft’s performance and AI thresholds, and Qualcomm’s X Series provides the CPU, GPU, and NPU combination these PCs rely on.- Snapdragon X Series chips are designed for Windows notebooks and include the X, X Plus, and X Elite variants with Oryon CPU cores and Adreno GPUs.
- Microsoft’s Copilot+ specifications and the Prism emulation engine make Arm notebooks far more capable of running legacy PC software than previous Arm efforts.
- The combination of native anti-cheat support and Prism’s improved emulation is what finally makes certain multiplayer titles feasible on these machines. (theverge.com, devblogs.microsoft.com)
Security, privacy, and stability: the trade-offs of kernel-level anti-cheat
Bringing kernel-mode anti-cheat to a new platform is not purely a technical win — it raises the same set of concerns that have dogged anti-cheat systems on x64 Windows for years, and a few Arm-specific wrinkles appear too.Key concerns developers, IT departments, and users should weigh:
- Kernel-mode risk surface: Kernel drivers run with the highest privileges. Any bugs or vulnerabilities in a kernel-mode anti-cheat driver can cause system instability or open new attack surfaces. This is true regardless of CPU architecture.
- Compatibility with Windows security features: Recent Windows security features such as Kernel-mode Hardware-enforced Stack Protection and Memory Integrity (Core Isolation) can interfere with anti-cheat drivers not built with the latest compatibility practices. Community and Microsoft support threads have shown users forced into temporary workarounds — which is not an acceptable long-term solution. Anti-cheat vendors must ensure their kernel modules are compatible with modern Windows hardening. (learn.microsoft.com, easy.ac)
- Privacy and telemetry: Anti-cheat vendors generally strive to minimize data collection, but deeper system integration means more sensitive telemetry options are technically available. Vendors and publishers must be explicit about what data is collected, where it’s stored, and how long it’s retained.
- False positives and ecosystem friction: On x64, Easy Anti-Cheat has repeatedly caused legitimate software to be flagged, leading to launch failures and user frustration. That same risk exists on Arm, and the first months of a rollout will be critical for tuning detection heuristics and minimizing false positives. Community reports on EAC-related launch errors highlight how disruptive such issues can be. (fortnite.com, reddit.com)
What this means for users and IT managers
For gamers and IT managers assessing whether Arm PCs are ready for multiplayer gaming, the implications are immediate but nuanced.- Expect an initial wave of titles to be certified or updated for Windows-on-Arm, starting with Fortnite and followed by other popular Easy Anti-Cheat–protected games. Epic has signaled this sequencing already. (onlineservices.epicgames.com)
- If a game uses EAC and the studio doesn’t update the bootstrapper/client module, the game may continue to be blocked on Arm devices. That means installation may succeed but launching will fail until the developer ships the updated anti-cheat components. (thurrott.com)
- Users should keep Windows and their games updated. Many EAC issues on x64 have been resolved by updating the EAC service, drivers, and Windows patches in tandem. The same patchwork will apply on Arm.
- IT managers deploying Copilot+ fleets should validate anti-cheat behavior in controlled environments before rolling titles out to end users; early compatibility problems can trigger help-desk tickets and downtime.
- Check for game and Easy Anti-Cheat updates via the game launcher or the Epic Online Services SDK runtime. (easy.ac)
- Ensure Windows 11 and firmware are up to date, since driver signing and OS hardening updates can affect EAC operation. (devblogs.microsoft.com)
- Avoid ad-hoc workarounds that disable Windows security features unless explicitly recommended by the vendor and only on test machines. Microsoft’s hardware security features exist to protect the platform; disabling them to run an anti-cheat driver is a stopgap, not a fix. (learn.microsoft.com)
How this compares to other anti-cheat providers
Epic’s action is part of a broader industry push to get anti-cheat vendors onto Arm. Microsoft and partners previously announced support and work with other anti-cheat providers:- BattlEye announced Arm-native support and collaboration with Microsoft to use Prism and Windows updates to enable compatibility.
- Microsoft’s platform-level work in Windows 11 24H2 included direct engagement with anti-cheat vendors to facilitate safe, compatible kernel modules on Arm.
- The multi-vendor push reduces the chance that one anti-cheat system will become a unique blocker for the platform; the bigger issue is the pace at which individual game developers adopt the new modules. (devblogs.microsoft.com)
Limitations, timing, and realistic expectations
The attention-grabbing headlines — “Fortnite comes to Snapdragon laptops” — are accurate but deserve context.- “Later this year” remains the timeframe Epic provided. That means rollouts will be staggered: Epic expects to land Fortnite and then use the telemetry and learnings to help other developers adopt the updated EOS SDK. The exact release windows for specific games and OEMs will vary. (onlineservices.epicgames.com)
- Not every game that uses Easy Anti-Cheat will necessarily be playable on Arm. Some studios will choose not to support Arm hardware, others will prioritize x64-native performance, and still others will need to rework engine code for Arm-native modules. Emulation can cover many titles, but native anti-cheat components and high-performance expectations complicate the migration.
- Performance expectations should be calibrated: Prism emulation is much improved, and Snapdragon X Series chips are competent, but some high-end titles will still run best on discrete-GPU Intel/AMD laptops. The EAC port removes a blocking compatibility issue but does not guarantee parity with x64 performance. (devblogs.microsoft.com, theverge.com)
Nintendo Switch 2 support: an unverified claim
Some reporting has stated that the most recent Easy Anti-Cheat release also "supports the Nintendo Switch 2." This claim appears in secondary coverage and aggregated summaries, but an explicit confirmation from Epic, Nintendo, or the official EAC documentation is not present in primary release notes or Epic’s Windows-on-Snapdragon announcement. Until Epic or Nintendo publish a direct, authoritative statement or an SDK release note confirms Switch 2 support, that particular claim should be treated with caution and considered unverified. Epic’s documented March announcement focused on Windows-on-Snapdragon and Fortnite. (thurrott.com, onlineservices.epicgames.com)Developer checklist: shipping EAC-enabled games on Arm
For studios planning Arm support for multiplayer titles, the following checklist condenses the concrete steps implied by Epic and platform partners:- Download the latest Epic Online Services / Easy Anti-Cheat SDK release that includes Windows-on-Arm updates. (onlineservices.epicgames.com)
- Replace the anti-cheat bootstrapper in your build pipeline with the updated Windows-on-Arm–compatible bootstrapper provided by Epic. (thurrott.com)
- Ship the Windows-on-Arm EAC client module alongside your game, or ensure your launcher can update it at install time. (thurrott.com)
- Validate interactions with Windows security features (Core Isolation, memory integrity, stack protections) and confirm driver signing and digital certificates are valid for the target platform. (learn.microsoft.com)
- Run broad compatibility tests across representative Snapdragon X Series devices and emulated configurations (Prism) and collect telemetry before wide release. (devblogs.microsoft.com)
The big picture: what this means for Windows-on-Arm gaming
Epic’s anti-cheat port is a meaningful milestone for Windows-on-Arm gaming. It closes an interoperability gap that kept many multiplayer titles off Snapdragon notebooks, and it validates the platform’s viability for gaming beyond emulation novelty. For consumers, that means more choice: thin, battery-efficient Copilot+ laptops can now be considered real contenders for mainstream gaming tasks that previously required x64 hardware.However, this is not a switch that flips overnight. The software ecosystem — from engine middleware to device drivers to developer priorities — must align. Expect a measured, pragmatic rollout: Fortnite and a handful of other titles will lead, followed by a slow trickle of additional games as studios decide support is worth the engineering effort.
In short: Easy Anti-Cheat on Windows-on-Arm removes a major technical blocker and is a necessary step toward a genuinely competitive Arm-based Windows gaming ecosystem, but it is not the final step. Developers, platform vendors, and anti-cheat providers will need to continue collaboration, prioritize driver compatibility with Windows hardening, and be transparent about telemetry and privacy to make this transition smooth and secure for players.
Conclusion
Epic Games’ Easy Anti-Cheat landing on Windows 11 Arm is a milestone with immediate practical effects and long-term significance. It reflects coordinated work across Epic, Qualcomm, and Microsoft to reconcile kernel-level security needs with the realities of a heterogeneous CPU landscape. Fortnite’s planned Arm-compatible release serves as both a proof point and a stress test for the new anti-cheat implementation, while Epic’s SDK work means other developers have a path to follow.The rollout reduces one of the most visible compatibility hurdles for Arm gaming — but it does not erase the other challenges: performance parity, driver maturity, developer effort, and the persistent security and privacy questions tied to kernel-mode anti-cheat. Those are the next issues the industry must address as Arm-based Windows devices move from novelty to mainstream. (onlineservices.epicgames.com, theverge.com, devblogs.microsoft.com, thurrott.com)
Source: Thurrott.com Epic Games Brings Easy Anti-Cheat to Windows 11 on Arm