TL;DR
- Vanguard’s HWID bans permanently block cheaters’ hardware, not just accounts
- Riot’s legal actions have shut down major cheating services like GatorCheats
- Cheaters face significant financial losses with bans affecting expensive subscriptions
- The gaming community overwhelmingly supports these aggressive anti-cheat measures
- While some cheaters remain undetected, the overall cheating landscape has dramatically improved
Valorant’s sophisticated Vanguard anti-cheat system has launched a comprehensive crackdown against prominent cheating platforms, leaving dishonest players frustrated after investing substantial money into illicit services that ultimately failed them.
This widespread enforcement action occurred immediately following revelations that Riot Games partnered with Bungie to file lawsuits against creators of unauthorized software for both Valorant and Destiny 2. The coordinated effort between Vanguard’s technical team and Riot’s legal department resulted in thousands of account terminations, creating significant disruption within the cheating ecosystem. Premium cheating websites demanded up to $14 daily, accumulating to monthly costs exceeding $400. One particularly vocal user lamented losing over $600 in cheat investments before receiving a permanent ban.
Are there still cheaters in Valorant?
Legitimate players enthusiastically applaud Riot and the Vanguard development team for systematically removing cheaters from competitive matches. Even sophisticated cheaters employing alternate accounts discovered their primary profiles being banned because Vanguard implements hardware identification (HWID) restrictions rather than simple account suspensions. This advanced banning methodology targets the unique identifier of a player’s computer components, ensuring that any newly created accounts from banned hardware get automatically flagged and removed. This hardware-based approach proves virtually impossible to circumvent without acquiring entirely new computer equipment.
Although a small number of cheaters undoubtedly continue operating undetected, the majority of players can now confidently attribute losses to legitimate gameplay factors rather than suspicious opponent behavior.
Riot Games sues cheating software developers
On January 12, investigative reporting from Polygon uncovered Riot’s legal pursuit against Cameron Santos, operator of GatorCheats, and additional defendants accused of developing an extensive collection of malicious cheating tools. Bungie, as co-owner of Destiny 2, joined the litigation as a joint plaintiff seeking to protect their gaming environment.
GatorCheats marketed and distributed their unauthorized software across multiple digital platforms, specifically engineered to evade detection by both Riot and Bungie’s security systems. Customers paid subscription fees ranging from $90 monthly to $500 for permanent access privileges. Legal documents indicate Santos generated substantial revenue, estimated in the “tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars” from these illicit activities.
Following the legal filing, GatorCheats temporarily disabled their online presence before displaying a prominent red banner announcing “In compliance with a lawsuit filed by Riot Games and Bungie, GatorCheats will be shut down indefinitely.” While this represents a typical initial response to legal pressure, Santos faces ongoing legal complications beyond the website shutdown.
The combination of technical enforcement and legal pressure creates a significantly improved competitive environment for honest Valorant enthusiasts. Understanding Vanguard’s detection methods helps players distinguish between legitimate skill differences and potential cheating incidents.
For players transitioning from other tactical shooters, these developments demonstrate Riot’s commitment to fair gameplay. Similar to understanding Class Guide mechanics in other games, recognizing anti-cheat effectiveness enhances overall gaming satisfaction.
When encountering suspicious gameplay, focus on these observable behaviors: unnatural tracking through walls, impossible reaction times, and consistently perfect aim regardless of movement conditions. Document these observations with timestamps and specific details before submitting reports through official channels.
Looking ahead, Riot’s multi-pronged approach suggests continued innovation in cheat detection. Just as mastering Weapons Unlock systems requires understanding game mechanics, recognizing Vanguard’s capabilities helps players appreciate the cleaner competitive landscape.
Action Checklist
- Enable Vanguard’s kernel-level protection during system startup for maximum security coverage
- Learn to identify common cheating indicators like wallhack usage and aimbot patterns
- Report suspicious players using in-game reporting features with detailed descriptions
- Review match replays to confirm suspicious behavior before submitting reports
- Stay informed about Vanguard updates and new anti-cheat features through official channels
No reproduction without permission：Game Guides Online » Riot Games suing Valorant cheat creators after wave of bans How Vanguard's anti-cheat system and legal actions are eliminating Valorant cheaters effectively