Valorant Anti-Cheat Updated After Major Bans

Summary

• Valorant is cracking down on hackers by implementing ranked rollbacks to reverse progress or rank if a match is affected by cheaters.
• The new measures are designed to penalize cheaters and promote fair play for all Valorant players.
• Players on the same team as hackers will keep their rank rating to avoid any unfair losses.

Valorant is taking significant steps to combat the recent surge in hackers by introducing ranked rollbacks, a new anti-cheat measure designed to restore fairness in the game. Riot Games' head of anti-cheat, Phillip Koskinas, has publicly addressed the issue, emphasizing that Riot now has stronger measures in place to tackle cheating. He explained the new system that will reverse players' progress or rank if their match is impacted by cheaters.

Cheating and hacking have long been a challenge for online gaming communities, with various companies employing different strategies to curb these unfair practices. Despite Valorant's robust anti-cheat system, a recent increase in hackers has disrupted the gaming experience for many players. In response, Riot Games is intensifying its efforts to penalize cheaters and maintain a level playing field.

Koskinas took to Twitter to assure the Valorant community that the studio is actively addressing the cheating issue. As part of their strategy, Riot Games will implement ranked rollbacks, ensuring that players' ranks or progress are not unfairly affected by matches involving cheaters. To illustrate the severity of the problem, Koskinas shared data showing the number of cheaters banned by Riot's Vanguard system in January, with a peak on January 13.

Riot Games' Future Valorant Bans Will Include Ranked Rollbacks

Addressing a concern from a player about the fairness of winning a match with a cheater on their team, Koskinas clarified that players on the same team as a hacker will retain their rank rating, while the opposing team will have their ranks restored. He acknowledged that this approach might lead to some inflation in rankings but expressed confidence in moving forward with the strategy.

Valorant's Vanguard system, known for its effectiveness in detecting and banning cheaters, operates at a kernel-level security clearance on PCs. Its success has even inspired other games, such as Call of Duty, to adopt similar anti-cheat measures. Despite ongoing efforts to eliminate cheating, hackers continue to find new ways to circumvent these systems.

The Valorant community can take some comfort in the fact that Riot Games has already banned thousands of players, showing their commitment to resolving this issue. Whether the introduction of ranked rollbacks will effectively reduce the latest wave of hackers remains to be seen, but Riot's proactive approach gives players hope for a fairer gaming experience.