Riot Games, the developer of the popular battle royale game Valorant, has made significant strides in reducing cheating in its online multiplayer environment. According to Phillip Koskinas, the company’s anti-cheat director, the rate of cheating in ranked matches has dropped to under 1%, thanks to the implementation of its controversial kernel-level anti-cheat system, Vanguard.
The Vanguard system leverages Windows security features such as Trusted Platform Module and Secure Boot to enhance security measures. These features help prevent unauthorized code from executing in kernel memory, effectively reducing the chances of cheating by malicious actors. The system also utilizes other technical measures to ensure that cheaters cannot bypass its security protocols.
However, Riot Games is not relying solely on technical solutions to combat cheating. The company has also deployed undercover operatives who have infiltrated cheat development communities for years. Koskinas revealed that Riot has taken a more direct approach by providing anti-cheat information to establish credibility within these communities. This strategy targets even the most sophisticated and expensive cheats available.
Despite these efforts, Riot faces increasingly advanced threats. Hackers are employing direct memory access attacks using specialized PCI Express hardware, as well as screen reader cheats that use separate computers to analyze gameplay and control mouse movements. These sophisticated methods make it challenging for the anti-cheat system to detect and block such cheaters effectively.
To address these persistent issues, Vanguard fingerprints cheaters’ hardware, allowing the system to track and identify repeat offenders. Koskinas admitted to deliberately slowing some enforcement measures, stating, ‘To keep cheating dumb, we ban slower.’ This approach is meant to discourage potential cheaters by making the act of cheating less appealing. Additionally, Riot Games employs psychological warfare tactics, publicly discrediting cheat developers and trolling known cheaters to undermine their credibility within the gaming community.
The company’s ongoing efforts to combat cheating highlight the growing importance of anti-cheat measures in the gaming industry. As competition in online multiplayer games intensifies, developers must continuously adapt their security measures to stay ahead of cheaters and maintain a fair playing environment for all players.