Valorant is taking decisive action against the recent surge of hackers by introducing ranked rollbacks, a new measure designed to reverse any progress or rank lost due to matches affected by cheaters. This initiative is part of Riot Games' broader strategy to penalize cheaters and ensure a fair playing environment for all Valorant players. Importantly, players who find themselves on the same team as hackers will retain their rank rating, preventing any unfair losses on their part.

The head of Valorant's anti-cheat team, Phillip Koskinas, has publicly addressed the issue, emphasizing Riot's enhanced capabilities to combat cheating. He stated on Twitter that Riot can now "hit so much harder" against cheaters, and he detailed the upcoming changes. Koskinas also shared data illustrating the effectiveness of Riot's Vanguard system, which banned a significant number of cheaters in January, with a peak on January 13.

Riot Games' Future Valorant Bans Will Include Ranked Rollbacks

In response to a player's query about the fairness of winning a match with a cheater on their team, Koskinas clarified that while the enemy team would have their rank rating restored, players on the same team as the hacker would keep theirs. He acknowledged that this approach might lead to some inflation in rankings but expressed confidence in moving forward with this strategy.

Valorant's Vanguard system, known for its kernel-level security clearance on PCs, has been highly effective in detecting and banning cheaters. Its success has inspired other popular games, such as Call of Duty, to adopt similar anti-cheat measures. Despite these efforts, cheaters continue to find new ways to infiltrate games, necessitating ongoing vigilance and innovation from game developers.

Riot Games has already banned thousands of players in the past, demonstrating their commitment to eradicating cheating from Valorant. The introduction of ranked rollbacks is a testament to their dedication to maintaining a fair and enjoyable gaming experience. While the effectiveness of this new technique remains to be seen, it represents a significant step forward in the fight against hackers in competitive gaming.