[PC/Steam] Stuck on Infinite Loading Screen After EA Javelin Anticheat Update

Platform: PC / Steam
OS: Windows 11, fully updated
GPU: AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT
GPU Driver: AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition 26.8.1
Secure Boot: Enabled

Issue:

Since the migration from Easy Anti-Cheat to EA Javelin Anticheat, Apex Legends gets stuck indefinitely on the initial loading screen (spinning loading indicator) and never reaches the lobby.

The game itself launches normally, and Javelin appears to start successfully, but Apex never gets past the loading screen.

Troubleshooting already performed:

• Completely reinstalled Apex Legends
• Verified Steam game files multiple times
• Restarted Windows
• Reinstalled EA Javelin Anticheat
• Confirmed Secure Boot is enabled
• Fully updated Windows 11
• Tested different AMD GPU driver versions
• Checked Windows Firewall
• Changed DNS to Cloudflare (1.1.1.1 / 1.0.0.1) and flushed the DNS cache
• Ran Steam/Apex with administrator privileges

None of these steps resolved the issue.

Javelin service test:

Before launching Apex:

sc query EAAntiCheat

shows:

STATE : 1 STOPPED

While Apex is running and stuck on the loading screen, the same command shows:

STATE : 4 RUNNING
WIN32_EXIT_CODE : 0
SERVICE_EXIT_CODE : 0

So the EAAntiCheat driver appears to load successfully when Apex starts.

Steam file verification behavior:

After launching Apex, Steam consistently reports exactly 3 files as failing verification:

• EAAntiCheat.GameServiceLauncher.dll
• EAAntiCheat.GameServiceLauncher.exe
• preloader_l.dll

Steam's content_log.txt reports:

Validation: full scan ... found 3/10329 mismatching files (73.06 MB/88.12 GB)

The verification repairs these files successfully.

I also tested the following:

1. Verify files → Steam repairs the 3 files.
2. Verify again WITHOUT launching Apex → all files verify successfully.
3. Launch Apex → game gets stuck on loading screen.
4. Close Apex and verify again → the same 3 EA Anti-Cheat files fail verification again.

Therefore, these files are being modified when Apex/Javelin is launched. I do not know whether this is expected Javelin behavior or related to the loading issue.

Additional observation:

C:\Program Files\EA\AC\EAAntiCheat.Installer.exe

does not list Apex Legends in its game selection list.

However, unlike some other reports, the EAAntiCheat driver IS registered on my system and changes to RUNNING while Apex is running.

The issue started after the EA Javelin Anticheat migration. Apex was previously able to reach the lobby normally.

Could this be an issue with the Javelin migration or authentication/initialization process?

I can provide the full Steam content_log.txt or additional diagnostic information if needed.