What just happened? Epic is getting into the business of anti-cheat software albeit indirectly. It has recently acquired the company that provides anti-cheating solutions for Fortnite. It did not disclose how much it paid for the buyout, but Kamu management appears happy to be joining the billion-dollar game maker.

As Fortnite continues to churn out cash for Epic, the company is looking at expanding its reach by investing some of that profit. You might think this would involve opening a new studio or starting work on a new game. However, the game maker has other plans in mind.

On Monday, Epic announced its acquisition of anti-cheat startup Kamu. The Helsinki-based company is the maker of Easy Anti-Cheat.

"Kamu's team and tools have been key to building a vibrant Fortnite multiplayer experience that's fair for all players," said Epic's CEO and founder Tim Sweeney in a press release.

Kamu has been around since 2013 and provides anti-cheat services to over 80 different games installed on more than 100 million PCs worldwide. Sweeney sees this as a good investment, and he should know. Easy Anti-Cheat is the platform that Epic uses in its own game Fortnite to detect and prevent cheating.

At least at this time, Epic will not be moving make the software an in-house-only platform. Considering the size of the install base, it is not surprising that Sweeney would like some time to see how the software continues to fair with non-Epic titles and to leave those licensing opportunities open. It also provides the company with offices in Finland with very little additional expense.

Kamu management seems happy with the merger.

"Joining the Epic family is not only a childhood dream come true, but a huge boost for our mission to help developers create beautiful gaming experiences," said Kamu CEO Simon Allaeys.

The firm is not strictly focused on anti-cheat software. It is also working on solutions for providing game telemetry and management.

"Battling cheating in games was just the start; today our products also help developers stay competitive by identifying player needs as quickly as they emerge," said Allaeys.

Epic sees "live gaming" as a growing industry that will need support from companies like Kamu. Merging with the startup makes sense for the future growth of both Epic and Kamu.

"Building and launching games today is incredibly challenging, and only half the battle," said Sweeney. "Kamu's tools for managing live games help developers grow and sustain their games successfully after launch. At Epic, we succeed when developers succeed!"