FIFA 23 Anti-Cheat Error: How To Fix The "EA AntiCheat Service encountered an error. Please restart the game" Issue


Musqueam home kit - FIFA 23 anti-cheat error
Credit: EA

The FIFA 23 anti-cheat error is a bit like the England football team: full of hope and expectation, only to disappoint you at the critical moment. If you're encountering this error, chances are you haven't really been able to sample the delights of the latest - and last - in the EA developed FIFA series.

Luckily, we're here to provide you with the tactical analysis and insight to allow you to overcome this particularly tricky opponent. We'll tell you everything you need to know about the FIFA 23 anti-cheat error.

How To Fix The FIFA 23 Anti-Cheat Error

With FIFA 23 only just making its debut, there is yet to be a definitive solution for this particular problem. But there are a couple of reported solutions that may work in the majority of cases.

The first of these is to run the game and Origin as an administrator. To do this:

  • Right-click on the Origin app
  • Click Run as Administrator
  • You'll be asked if you want the app to make changes. Select Yes
  • repeat this process with the FIFA 23 executable file

Users have reported that when trying to launch the game for the first time after doing this, it may seem as if FIFA 23 has frozen. Wait for at least a couple of minutes (longer if your PC isn't particularly powerful) to see if it eventually loads.

If this doesn't work, then your second option is to uninstall EA Anti-Cheat itself:

  • Launch the EA anti-cheat installer and uninstall it
  • Once this is done, close the window and the relaunch Origin
  • Open FIFA 23, where you will be prompted to install EA Anti-Cheat
  • Reinstall the Anti-Cheat software.

For some players, this may be enough. But others may need to take the following additional steps:

  • Once EA Anti-Cheat is reinstalled, restart your PC
  • Run Origin as an administrator (as noted in the first fix)
  • Disable your antivirus, or make sure FIFA 23 and Origin are on the "safe" list
  • Launch FIFA 23

If this doesn't work, then your final step is to contact EA Support for further help and advice.

Ted Lasso with arms outstretched - FIFA 23 anti-cheat error
click to enlarge
Credit: EA

What Is The The FIFA 23 Anti-Cheat Error?

Players who encounter this error are finding that when they attempt to launch FIFA 23, they simply receive an error message which states:

EA AntiCheat Service encountered an error. Please restart the game

This has been affecting players across a number of platforms, making it almost impossible for them to access and play FIFA 23.

It's unclear at this stage exactly why this problem has emerged. But it's worth noting that EA Anti-Cheat is a relatively new technology, and FIFA 23 is one of the first games to use it. This means that there is always the potential for issues to arise, as we frequently see when new games are launched.

It's generally the case that a new game will be closely followed by a game update, with hot fixes for some of the most pressing concerns. So keep your eyes peeled for any game updates, and install them as soon as they become available. There's a chance that a fix will be part of that update.

For more articles like this, take a look at our Gaming and How To page.