Fortnite is breaking down a huge barrier for Snapdragon chips

Strategic Partnership for Gaming Expansion

In a significant move to enhance the gaming experience on Snapdragon X Elite PCs, Epic Games has teamed up with Qualcomm to introduce Fortnite and its proprietary Easy Anti-Cheat software to this platform. This collaboration aims to address the ongoing challenges faced by Windows applications on Snapdragon devices, primarily due to the differences between x86 and Arm instruction set architectures (ISAs).

Despite the promising potential of the Snapdragon X Elite PCs in the gaming sector, the support for games has been limited. The recent launch of Copilot+ laptops by Microsoft and Qualcomm has brought the vision of Windows on Arm closer to reality; however, the lack of app support remains a critical hurdle. Epic Games, in collaboration with Qualcomm, is determined to change this narrative by bringing Fortnite to Snapdragon X Elite PCs within the year.

Breaking down the hurdle of anti-cheat

Fortnite is just the start

The primary challenge with running conventional Windows applications on Snapdragon X Elite PCs lies in the fact that most are designed for the x86 ISA, while Snapdragon operates on Arm. While some applications have successfully transitioned to native Arm versions, others depend on emulation, which has shown impressive performance. However, the integration of Easy Anti-Cheat presents a unique challenge. This anti-cheat software, developed by Epic Games, requires kernel-level access to effectively prevent cheating, making it incompatible with emulation layers.

Epic Games has announced that Fortnite will be available on Snapdragon PCs later this year, a development that not only excites the game’s vast player base but also lays the groundwork for a broader range of titles to be accessible on Snapdragon devices. Easy Anti-Cheat is utilized in numerous popular games, including Elden Ring, The Finals, Rust, and Fall Guys, as detailed on SteamDB.

According to Epic’s blog, “Battle-testing Windows on Snapdragon anti-cheat support with Fortnite will help ensure smooth implementations in other games. We look forward to enabling players to enjoy their favorite Epic Online Services Anti-Cheat-enabled games on the latest Windows devices powered by Snapdragon X Series.”

While the introduction of Easy Anti-Cheat support marks a positive step forward, it is important to note that not every game will necessarily receive support. Emulating games could lead to significant performance issues, and many titles may never see an official port. Nevertheless, this initiative represents a crucial advancement in overcoming one of the key obstacles that has previously deterred developers from bringing their games to Snapdragon PCs.