Over 1.4 million cheaters banned from PUBG Mobile in one week

Olivia Richman Published 14/12/2020

Tencent is trying to crack down on cheaters in PUBG Mobile.

The mobile version of PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds has an in-game anti-cheat system that bans millions of cheaters every single week. The PUBG Mobile team shared some specific numbers on Twitter, showing players that about 1.5 million accounts were permanently banned from the game between December 4 and December 10 alone.

From December 4th-10th, 1,498,044 accounts have been permanently suspended from accessing our game, out of which these are the majority of the reasons:

⬜ X-Ray Vision
⬜ Auto Aim Hacks
⬜ Speed Hacks pic.twitter.com/VFbiK0Zfpk
— PUBG MOBILE (@PUBGMOBILE) December 12, 2020

What hacks are used in PUBG Mobile?

Free-to-play games are major targets for cheaters and hackers. PUBG Mobile is no different. While millions of accounts are banned each week, cheaters are always finding new hacks to use in the competitive battle royale.

PUBG Mobile shared the specific types of hacks that infiltrated the game from December 4 to December 10. Auto-aim hacks made up the majority of cheaters. They made up 26% of the 1,498,044 banned accounts. X-ray vision was the second-most used hack at 24%.

It’s no surprise to see these two hacks at the top. Tactical shooting games heavily rely on not only accuracy and mechanical skill, but also on reading the enemy’s movements. Auto-aim allows players to land headshots without aiming their sights themselves. X-ray vision lets them know where opponents are hiding so that they don’t have to assume their position and pre-aim.

The other cheaters used speed hacks (16%), area damage modification (10%), and character model mods (7%). “Other” cheats made up the remaining 17% of hackers.

While the majority of hacks are usually found at lower levels, PUBG Mobile players are extremely aggravated by cheaters at all competitive levels. Tencent shared the distribution of cheaters throughout the ranks from December 4 to December 10:

Conqueror: 2%
Ace: 8%
Crown: 12%
Diamond: 14%
Platinum: 13%
Gold: 11%
Silver: 11%
Bronze: 29%

Is PUBG Mobile better than PUBG?

The main difference between PUBG Mobile and the version of PUBG found on PC and console is the graphics. PUBG Mobile plays at a lower resolution. Besides this difference, both games play very similarly. Instead of choosing a “better” game, players should pick which one fits their preferred playstyle and setup.

Is PUBG banned in India?

PUBG was banned in India despite being the most downloaded game in the country with over 50 million players. This was linked to the app being owned by China’s Tencent. But it’s also because of the high rate of addiction and violence associated with PUBG Mobile in India.

PUBG is also banned in China. The title was replaced by a non-violent version of the game where eliminated opponents wave goodbye instead of dying. Tencent claims they are creating a new PUBG Mobile game specifically for India as well.

Olivia Richman

About Olivia Richman

Olivia has worked in media ever since graduating from college, with her coverage ranging from traditional newspaper reporting to digital coverage of all things gaming, online betting, and nerd culture. She has traveled around the world pursuing that coverage, from the far coasts of the United States to the busy downtown core of Tokyo, Japan. Olivia’s favorite games include Overwatch and Super Smash Smash Bros, and she has been published at Esports Illustrated, Inven Global, EsportsInsider, Upcomer, and elsewhere.

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