Summary

• Valorant is combating cheaters with a new ranked rollback system. This reverses rank progress if a match is compromised by hackers.
• The goal is to punish cheaters and ensure fair play for all Valorant players.
• Players teamed with cheaters will retain their rank rating, preventing unfair penalties.

Valorant is implementing ranked rollbacks to tackle a recent surge in hacking. Valorant's head of anti-cheat addressed the issue, warning cheaters of harsher penalties and detailing the new system.

Online games frequently battle the problem of cheaters seeking unfair advantages. While various anti-cheat strategies exist, cheaters often find ways around them. Despite Valorant's generally strong anti-cheat reputation, a recent increase in hacking prompted Riot Games to take decisive action.

Riot Games' head of anti-cheat, Phillip Koskinas, acknowledged the problem on Twitter, assuring players of ongoing efforts to resolve it. A key part of this strategy is the upcoming ranked rollback system, reversing rank changes in matches affected by cheaters. Koskinas shared data showing the number of cheaters banned by Riot's Vanguard system in January, peaking on January 13th.

Riot Games' Future Valorant Bans Will Include Ranked Rollbacks

Addressing concerns about players winning matches with cheaters on their team, Koskinas clarified that teammates of cheaters will keep their rank, while the opposing team will have their rank restored. While acknowledging potential inflationary effects, Koskinas expressed confidence in this approach.

Valorant's Vanguard system, utilizing kernel-level security, has proven highly effective in detecting and banning cheaters. Other games, such as Call of Duty, have adopted similar systems. However, despite successful anti-cheat efforts, cheaters persistently find new methods.

Valorant has already banned thousands of players, offering hope to those frustrated by hackers in ranked matches. Riot Games' commitment to resolving this issue is evident. The long-term effectiveness of the new ranked rollback system remains to be seen.