Valorant Updates Anti-Cheat After Major Ban Wave

Summary

• Valorant is implementing ranked rollbacks to penalize hackers by reversing progress or rank if a match is affected by cheaters.
• These new measures aim to promote fair play and maintain a competitive environment for all Valorant players.
• Players teamed with hackers will retain their rank rating, ensuring they don't suffer unfair penalties.

Valorant is stepping up its battle against hackers with the introduction of ranked rollbacks, a new strategy designed to curb the recent surge in cheating. Valorant's head of anti-cheat, Phillip Koskinas, recently took to Twitter to address the cheating issue and outline the upcoming changes. He warned cheaters that Riot Games can now "hit so much harder," emphasizing their commitment to fair play.

Cheating remains a pervasive problem across many online games, with players often seeking unfair advantages. Despite Valorant's acclaimed anti-cheat system, the game has recently experienced an uptick in hackers disrupting player experiences. In response, Riot Games is implementing tougher penalties.

Koskinas shared a chart on Twitter illustrating the number of cheaters banned by Riot's Vanguard system in January, with the peak occurring on January 13. The new ranked rollback system will reverse the progress or rank of players whose matches are compromised by cheaters, aiming to deter cheating effectively.

Riot Games' Future Valorant Bans Will Include Ranked Rollbacks

Addressing concerns about fairness, Koskinas clarified that players on the same team as a hacker will not lose their rank rating. This measure ensures they are not unfairly penalized for the actions of others, although it may lead to some inflation in rank distribution. Koskinas expressed confidence that this strategy will ultimately benefit the community.

Valorant's Vanguard system, which operates at kernel-level security on PCs, has been highly effective in detecting and banning cheaters. Its success has inspired other games, like Call of Duty, to adopt similar anti-cheat technologies. Despite these efforts, cheaters often find new ways to infiltrate games.

Valorant has already banned thousands of players, demonstrating Riot Games' dedication to maintaining a fair and competitive environment. While the effectiveness of the new ranked rollback system remains to be seen, it represents a significant step in Riot's ongoing efforts to combat cheating and enhance the gaming experience for all players.