Fortnite runs on top of Unreal Engine – both products of Epic Games.
Whilst Fortnite obviously contains a large amount of proprietary code, it also relies on a number of third party applications to help it run properly.
One of those is the “EasyAntiCheat” service, provided by a third party company.
The error you’re seeing is a result of the “EasyAntiCheat” service not starting properly, either because your antivirus quarantined its files, or because it became damaged / corrupted through an update.
To resolve the issue, you need to be able to repair its installation, and remove any of the corrupted files that may be leading it to show the error…
Causes
There are a number of potential causes for the 1058/20006 error, including:
- EasyAntiCheat not loading correctly
- Windows update not installed properly
- Fortnite not running with correct files
Whilst there could be more causes, the above will resolve 95% of instances of the problem.
The error message will typically include the following:
Launch Error (20006)
Couldn’t start the game
Please help us by reporting this issue:
Error code 20006 (Cannot Create Service (StartService failed: 2))
Solution
Obviously, the main way to fix the problem is by fixing the EasyAntiCheat package (although there are several other steps, too):
1. Repair EasyAntiCheat
The first – and most likely to succeed – step is to repair the component.
This can be done by clicking into the Fortnite folder on your hard drive and removing any of the files that it may have inside.
To do this, you can use the following steps:
- Press “Windows” + “E” keys on your keyboard (loads up Windows Explorer)
- Browse to “C:/Program Files/Epic Games/Fortnite/FortniteGame/Binaries/Win64/EasyAntiCheat”
- Click onto “EasyAntiCheat_Setup.exe”
- It should load an installation system – click on “Repair Service”
- Once complete, it will be best to restart your PC and then try playing Fortnite again
If this fixes the problem, you should be able to enjoy Fortnite to your heart’s content now.
If it does not fix the problem, you will need to try and resolve any further issues which may be causing it to show.
2. Verify Fortnite’s Files
The next method basically allows us to “repair” the Fortnite install without having to re-download it all again.
It’s especially beneficial if you’re looking to get the game working properly again:
- Browse to “C:/Program Files/Epic Games/Fortnite/FortniteGame/Binaries/Win64/”
- Delete “FortniteClient-
Win64-Shipping.exe” - Click onto the Epic Games Launcher
- Under “Fortnite”, select the “cog” on the “Launch” button
- From the drop down, select “Verify”
- This should re-install the game as required
Once this has completed, restart your system and the game *should* start to work again.
3. Clean Up Windows Installation Files
Finally, if you’re still experiencing the error – it likely means there is a deeper issue with Windows.
The best way to fix this is to run the “SFC” (System File Checker”) application, which fixes any core problems with the Windows subsystem.
Using this is relatively simple:
- Press “Windows” + “S” keys on your keyboard
- Type “CMD” and press “Enter”
- When the list of results shows, right-click onto “Command Prompt” and select “Run as Administrator”
- When the black screen loads, type the following:
- SFC /scannow
- Press “Enter”
- Restart your system after completion
Whilst this should work to fix the errors you’ve experienced, there may be further problems that will be preventing Fortnite from running properly.
If you still cannot get the game to run, you should seek support from someone with more specific knowledge of your system.
The best (cheapest) way to do this is to go to one of the online technical support communities (SuperUser, Microsoft Answers) and ask help there. If you need a more direct fix, you’ll be better talking to someone with actual experience of your system – which is where the likes of local PC repair guys come in – or freelancers on Fiverr and the like.
by Richard Peck
