Valorant's New Anti-Cheat Measures: Ranked Rollbacks to Combat Cheaters
Valorant is escalating its fight against cheaters with a significant update: ranked rollbacks. This new anti-cheat measure will reverse the rank or progress of players whose matches were compromised by hackers. The goal is to deter cheating and ensure fair gameplay for all Valorant players. Importantly, players who were unfortunately teamed with cheaters will retain their rank rating, preventing unfair penalties for legitimate players.
The recent surge in cheating activity prompted Riot Games to announce these stricter measures. Phillip Koskinas, Riot's head of anti-cheat, publicly acknowledged the problem and outlined the new strategy on Twitter, emphasizing Riot's increased ability to combat cheating. He also shared data illustrating the significant number of cheaters banned via Valorant's Vanguard anti-cheat system in January alone, highlighting a peak on January 13th.
Addressing concerns about players winning matches with cheaters on their team, Koskinas clarified that those players will not face rank adjustments. Only the opposing team, unfairly affected by the cheaters, will have their rank rating restored. While acknowledging potential inflationary effects, Riot believes this approach is the best path forward.
Valorant's Vanguard system, utilizing kernel-level security, has a proven track record of success in detecting and banning cheaters. Its effectiveness has even inspired similar implementations in other popular games like Call of Duty. Despite past successes in driving cheaters out, the persistent nature of the problem necessitates ongoing efforts.
With thousands of players already banned, Riot Games demonstrates its unwavering commitment to tackling this issue. The effectiveness of the new ranked rollback system remains to be seen, but it represents a significant step in the ongoing battle against cheating in Valorant.
