Valorant developers warn that another ban wave is coming soon

Olivia Richman Published 07/07/2020

Valorant’s developers have not lightened up when it comes to their stance on hackers and cheaters.

Game director Joe “Hephastopheles” Ziegler recently took to Twitter to warn wrongdoers that a ban may be coming their way in the near future.

“Our platform team has put in a new system that will be going live soon that will inform players if they have been banned and for what reason,” Ziegler said.

He explained that when the cheaters and hackers log into their accounts, they’ll immediately receive a message telling them why they’ve been banned. They have to click “I understand” and will then become locked out of their account, possibly permanently depending on the offense.

Heads up! Our platform team has put in a new system will be going live soon that will inform players if they have been banned and for what reason when they log in. If you’re someone this affects, you’ll receive a message that looks like something this (with appropriate wording): pic.twitter.com/1j1P9UAGqu
— Ziegler (@RiotZiegler) July 6, 2020

This message corresponds with the rumor of an incoming ban wave in Valorant reported on July 5. A Reddit post recently shared screenshots from cheating forums showing various members warning each other of their recent bans.

“Currently, a massacre happening in cheats forum, and P2C provider. Cheaters Crying everywhere. They can’t believe it. The dream of having the happy days of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive cheats is fading. Good job, anti-cheat team,” OP wrote.

Valorant ban wave incoming

Valorant ban wave

Valorant’s anti-cheat system, Vanguard, has been a huge success to this point in the game’s lifespan. Almost 10,000 hackers and cheaters were banned during the closed beta, many of which were not given a second chance once the game was officially released in June.

Most of the people implementing various hacks in Valorant were not only permanently banned, but hardware banned. While many Valorant players argued that this was harsh, developers stated on Twitter that it was meant to be harsh.

“Hardware bans are deliberately opaque. Just like magic, you’re not meant to understand how the technology works, and just like all anti-cheat, it’ll still be circumvented eventually. There’s no need to speed that up by being loud about it,” Philip Koskinas stated on Twitter.

On hardware suspensions, a novella:
— Phillip Koskinas (@mirageopenguins) June 5, 2020

Earlier today, Valorant’s official Twitter posted an ominous tweet with very little context. Some people believe that the burning dragon represents the incoming ban wave. Others are wondering if it’s new weapon skin bundles. Either way, cheaters and hackers have been warned and most won’t have a lot of time left on the popular FPS.

pic.twitter.com/Ua4OyVvulx
— VALORANT (@PlayVALORANT) July 7, 2020

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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