Fortnite, Epic Games, ARC Raiders, Among Us and several other titles were down on Wednesday, and some users blamed the EasyAntiCheat (EAC) functionality. This comes as Downdetector, a platform that tracks online outages, showed at least 35,000 reports for ARC Raiders.
Meanwhile, gamers posted photos of their screens on social media, with a message reading ‘EAC cannot be instantiated’.
What is EasyAntiCheat?
Easy Anti-Cheat (EAC) is a widely used anti-cheat software developed by Kamulearning Ltd, designed to detect and prevent cheating in online multiplayer games. Acquired by Epic Games in 2018, EAC is integrated into hundreds of titles, including Fortnite, ARC Raiders, Rocket League, Apex Legends, and Dead by Daylight, to ensure fair play by identifying hacks, aimbots, wallhacks, and other exploits.
How it works
Real-Time Monitoring: EAC runs in the background, scanning a player’s system for unauthorized software or modifications that violate game rules.
{{/usCountry}}Real-Time Monitoring: EAC runs in the background, scanning a player’s system for unauthorized software or modifications that violate game rules.
{{/usCountry}}Kernel-Level Access: It operates at a deep system level (like a driver) to detect sophisticated cheats, requiring administrative permissions.
Ban Enforcement: Detected cheaters face temporary or permanent bans, with appeals handled by developers (not EAC directly).
Game Integration: Publishers customize EAC’s settings, balancing strictness with performance to avoid false positives.
Key Features
Supports PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Linux (via Proton for Steam Deck).
Regular updates to counter new cheating methods.
Lightweight design to minimize impact on game performance.
GDPR-compliant data handling, though privacy concerns persist due to system access.
How to fix EAC cannot be instantiated error?
The ‘EAC Cannot Be Instantiated’ error prevents games like ARC Raiders, Fortnite, Apex Legends, and Rocket League from launching, indicating that Easy Anti-Cheat (EAC) fails to initialize.
Check Server Status
Visit status.epicgames.com or Downdetector.com to confirm if EAC servers are down.
Monitor X (@EpicGames, @ARCRaidersGame) for outage updates.
Restart Game and Launcher
Fully close the game and Epic Games Launcher/Steam (check system tray).
Relaunch as administrator: Right-click the launcher > Run as Administrator.
Verify Game Files
Epic Games Launcher: Go to Library > Click three dots on game > Manage > Verify Files.
Steam: Right-click game > Properties > Installed Files > Verify Integrity of Game Files.
Corrupted EAC files (e.g., EasyAntiCheat.sys) trigger the error; verification replaces them.
Reinstall Easy Anti-Cheat
Navigate to the game’s install folder (e.g., C:\Program Files\Epic Games\Fortnite\EasyAntiCheat).
Run EasyAntiCheat_Setup.exe as administrator > Select game > Repair Service.
If repair fails, uninstall EAC via the same tool, then reinstall by launching the game.
Disable Conflicting Software
Turn off antivirus (add EAC as an exception in Windows Defender/McAfee).
Check Firewall Settings
Open Windows Firewall > Allow an App > Ensure EasyAntiCheat.exe and game executables (e.g., FortniteClient-Win64-Shipping.exe) are permitted.
Blocked ports disrupt EAC authentication, per Epic’s troubleshooting guide.
Reinstall Game or Launcher
As a last resort, uninstall the game via Epic/Steam, delete residual folders (C:\Program Files\Epic Games), and reinstall.
If persistent, reinstall the Epic Games Launcher after clearing its cache (C:\Users[YourName]\AppData\Local\EpicGamesLauncher).
Contact Support
Submit a ticket at help.epicgames.com with error details, system specs, and logs (found in game’s EAC folder).