{"id":2703,"date":"2025-11-01T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-11-01T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.declareitspiritwear.com\/?p=2703"},"modified":"2025-11-26T15:18:38","modified_gmt":"2025-11-26T15:18:38","slug":"cheating-is-on-the-rise-in-multiplayer-games-and-it-could-spell-disaster-for-competitive-esports","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.declareitspiritwear.com\/index.php\/2025\/11\/01\/cheating-is-on-the-rise-in-multiplayer-games-and-it-could-spell-disaster-for-competitive-esports\/","title":{"rendered":"Cheating is on the rise in multiplayer games, and it could spell disaster for competitive esports"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"686\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"A desktop computer displays an intense battle scene in Black Ops 7\" class=\"wp-image-216281 lazyload\" data-src=\"http:\/\/www.declareitspiritwear.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Esports-faces-a-threat-from-growing-cheating.jpg\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Scorestreak and soldier in Black Ops 7 \/ Image credit: Call of Duty<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"tldr\">\n<div class=\"tldr__heading\">\n<h2>TL;DR<\/h2>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Cheating and bad behaviour in multiplayer video games are more apparent than ever in 2025.<\/li>\n<li>Major game publishers and developers are combating cheating by banning offenders and implementing new detection systems within their games.<\/li>\n<li>Games like Apex Legends, Rainbow Six Siege X, and Call of Duty regularly provide community updates on anti-cheat efforts.<\/li>\n<li>If cheating doesn&#8217;t slow down, then popular competitive games risk losing players.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"esi-paragraph-69271a29c3888\" class=\"esi-paragraph \">\n<p>Cheating is on the rise in gaming, especially in FPS games. Cheat sellers are finding new ways to exploit popular titles, while developers are exploring methods to catch cheaters before they even step foot in a match.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"esi-paragraph-69271a29c3fce\" class=\"esi-paragraph \">\n<p>We&#8217;re going to walk multiplayer players through the current state of cheating in games like Call of Duty and how developers are taking steps to eliminate unfairness entirely.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"esi-heading-69271a29c464f\" class=\"esi-heading \">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span id=\"cheating_in_online_video_games-2\">Cheating in online video games<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"597\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"A soldier engages enemies near a burning car during a Call of Duty mission\" class=\"wp-image-216258 lazyload\" data-src=\"http:\/\/www.declareitspiritwear.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Urban-Firefight-large.jpg\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Black Ops 6 character aiming their weapon \/ Image credit: Call of Duty<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div id=\"esi-paragraph-69271a29c4d04\" class=\"esi-paragraph \">\n<p>Cheating in online gaming has been increasing over the past few years in popular games like <a href=\"https:\/\/esportsinsider.com\/esports-titles\/shooters\/counter-strike\">Counter-Strike 2<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/esportsinsider.com\/esports-titles\/shooters\/rainbow-six-siege\">Rainbow Six Siege X<\/a>. Competitive shooters have a particularly notable cheating problem, primarily due to aimbots and wall hacks. While many cheaters use specific software, others exploit in-game bugs to earn eliminations. Some gamers even join forces in solo matches to secure an unfair win, often referred to as teaming.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"esi-paragraph-69271a29c530d\" class=\"esi-paragraph \">\n<p>Free-to-play games increase the potential amount of cheaters in a lobby, and some older titles don&#8217;t receive regular anti-cheat updates. This has led to a high incidence of cheating in both modern titles and games released over the past few decades, such as older <a href=\"https:\/\/esportsinsider.com\/esports-titles\/shooters\/call-of-duty\">Call of Duty<\/a> games.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"esi-paragraph-69271a29c5910\" class=\"esi-paragraph \">\n<p>An excerpt posted to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ubisoft.com\/en-us\/game\/rainbow-six\/siege\/news-updates\">Ubisoft website<\/a> from August 2025 highlights a nearly 30% increase in cheating since Siege X was released. Siege X&#8217;s June 2025 launch was also when the popular FPS became free-to-play, though the increase in players and advancement of cheating programs likely played the most direct role.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"esi-paragraph-69271a29c5f6a\" class=\"esi-paragraph \">\n<p class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#f2f2f2\">\u201cSince the launch of Siege X, it&#8217;s clear that there has been a surge in cheater reports. The share of matches featuring players who receive 4 or more cheater reports within that single game has risen from an average of 1.8% to 2.5%. This spike is tied to the evolution of in-game exploits and the ongoing development of cheat programs. We know the impact that this has had on the enjoyment of the game for many and we are very actively working on solutions.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"esi-paragraph-69271a29c6582\" class=\"esi-paragraph \">\n<p>AI-based cheating software has also made cheating worse in some games, so let&#8217;s dive into how everyday exploiters may impact the esports industry.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"esi-heading-69271a29c6be3\" class=\"esi-heading \">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span id=\"esports_impact_more_cheaters_may_mean_fewer_viewers-2\">Esports impact: More cheaters may mean fewer viewers<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"588\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"A player aims at an enemy in a futuristic arena during an Apex Legends match\" class=\"wp-image-216254 lazyload\" data-src=\"http:\/\/www.declareitspiritwear.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Close-Combat-Encounter-large.jpg\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">First-person gameplay in Respawn&#8217;s Apex Legends \/ Image credit: EA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div id=\"esi-paragraph-69271a29c7299\" class=\"esi-paragraph \">\n<p>Over the last decade, multiplayer video games have begun to appeal to a much wider range of people, but increased cheating may turn gamers away from online play entirely. Players who repeatedly encounter cheaters in their matches will likely move on to other games, which might discourage fans from tuning into major tournaments, too.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"esi-paragraph-69271a29c78a4\" class=\"esi-paragraph \">\n<p>Gamers don&#8217;t want to invest in a game as a player or a viewer when cheating is rampant and matches are fixed, so developers are beginning to introduce new methods of countering cheaters in 2025.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"esi-heading-69271a29c7edb\" class=\"esi-heading \">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span id=\"how_are_developers_tackling_the_problem-2\">How are developers tackling the problem?<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"A squad prepares an ambush near a castle during a Fortnite battle\" class=\"wp-image-216255 lazyload\" data-src=\"http:\/\/www.declareitspiritwear.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Team-Ambush-Setup-large.jpg\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fortnite art for the Ballistic game mode \/ Image credit: Fortnite<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div id=\"esi-paragraph-69271a29c8555\" class=\"esi-paragraph \">\n<p>Video game publishers and developers are finding new ways to counter cheaters, including through the use of improved cheat detection software and the incorporation of AI into these systems.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"esi-paragraph-69271a29c8b67\" class=\"esi-paragraph \">\n<p>Additionally, cheat developers and sellers have begun to face legal action. An example is EngineOwning, a cheat producer that gave over $14 million to Activision in May 2024 following a lawsuit.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"esi-heading-69271a29c9183\" class=\"esi-heading \">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span id=\"detection_is_the_key_to_stopping_cheaters-2\">Detection is the key to stopping cheaters<\/span><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"597\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"Graph showing decline in teaming incidents after RICOCHET updates in Call of Duty Warzone\" class=\"wp-image-216257 lazyload\" data-src=\"http:\/\/www.declareitspiritwear.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Teaming-Reduction-Chart-large.jpg\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Graph showing that teaming is down in Call of Duty \/ Image credit: Call of Duty<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div id=\"esi-paragraph-69271a29c9811\" class=\"esi-paragraph \">\n<p>While cheating has increased in recent years, some developers have made new efforts and have seen a reduction throughout 2025.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"esi-paragraph-69271a29c9e81\" class=\"esi-paragraph \">\n<p>One such example of a concerted effort is Call of Duty&#8217;s RICOCHET program. According to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.callofduty.com\/warzone\/ricochet\">COD website<\/a>, \u201cRICOCHET Anti-Cheat uses both client and server-based systems to identify and address unfair play in real time. The PC kernel-level driver, developed internally for Call of Duty, helps detect unauthorized programs that interact with protected titles. These detections, combined with ongoing updates and analysis, allow the team to investigate and respond to cheating activity quickly and effectively.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"esi-paragraph-69271a29ca495\" class=\"esi-paragraph \">\n<p>While discussing Black Ops 6 and Warzone in September 2025, the Call of Duty <a href=\"https:\/\/www.callofduty.com\/blog\/2025\/09\/call-of-duty-black-ops-6-ricochet-anti-cheat-season-05-reloaded\">RICOCHET team<\/a> revealed that \u201cthe number of Teamers in the Top 250 has consistently remained under 5% at any given time since we began our weekly purges, based on these new detections.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"esi-paragraph-69271a29caadb\" class=\"esi-paragraph \">\n<p>Cheat detection is the key to banning users who take part in unfair practices, and it&#8217;ll get more accurate as developers put a greater focus on improving their systems.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"esi-heading-69271a29cb10e\" class=\"esi-heading \">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span id=\"conclusion-2\">Conclusion<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"577\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"Players defend an objective inside a fortified room during a Rainbow Six Siege X match\" class=\"wp-image-216256 lazyload\" data-src=\"http:\/\/www.declareitspiritwear.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Tactical-Defense-Setup-large.jpg\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Character aiming down sights in Rainbow Six Siege X \/ Image credit: Siege X\/Steam<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div id=\"esi-paragraph-69271a29cb79f\" class=\"esi-paragraph \">\n<p>As cheating continues to rise in online gaming, more and more players will look elsewhere for their daily play session. It&#8217;s no fun to be defeated by a bullet that went straight through the wall, so eliminating cheating to the greatest extent possible is a top priority for many development teams.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"esi-paragraph-69271a29cbdbb\" class=\"esi-paragraph \">\n<p>The fate of multiplayer gaming and esports hangs in the balance of the current generation. If video games are to grow more popular as a genre, then fairness is of paramount importance. Luckily, it looks like most developers are taking cheating very seriously, and new advancements in technology could be just what they need to eliminate cheating once and for all.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"esi-heading-69271a29cc3ce\" class=\"esi-heading \">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span id=\"faqs-2\">FAQs<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"frequently-asked-questions\">\n<div class=\"frequently-asked-questions__item\" id=\"faq-question-1761919547751\">\n<div class=\"frequently-asked-questions__question\">\n<h3>How do people cheat in esports?<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"frequently-asked-questions__answer\">\n<p>For regular games, players usually use cheating software or exploit glitches to their advantage. In esports, athletes have occasionally exploited glitches, used cheating software, and fixed matches to win money.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"frequently-asked-questions__item\" id=\"faq-question-1761919555138\">\n<div class=\"frequently-asked-questions__question\">\n<h3>Is cheating in esports illegal?<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"frequently-asked-questions__answer\">\n<p>Many countries don&#8217;t explicitly criminalise the act of cheating in esports, though players will usually face penalties and bans from the organisations involved. Actions like fixing a match may be illegal in some places, like certain locations in the US and UK.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"frequently-asked-questions__item\" id=\"faq-question-1761919565122\">\n<div class=\"frequently-asked-questions__question\">\n<h3>What are the worst cases of cheating in esports history?<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"frequently-asked-questions__answer\">\n<p>OpTic India&#8217;s Forsaken was deemed to have used cheating software during the eXTREMESLAND 2018 Finals to cheat in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. The athlete received a five-year Esports Integrity Commission ban, and his team was disqualified, leading to one of the largest cheating scandals in esports history. Fortnite athlete JonnyK also used cheats to see through walls, leading to his removal from Team Kaliber in 2019.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"frequently-asked-questions__item\" id=\"faq-question-1761919577239\">\n<div class=\"frequently-asked-questions__question\">\n<h3>Does CS2 have the worst cheating problem?<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"frequently-asked-questions__answer\">\n<p>Counter-Strike 2 does have one of the worst cheating problems in modern multiplayer gaming, though other popular FPS games also have their fair share of cheaters.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"references\">\n<div class=\"references__heading\">\n<h2><span id=\"references-2\">REFERENCES<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ubisoft.com\/en-us\/game\/rainbow-six\/siege\/news-updates\">R6 SHIELDGUARD &amp; ANTI-TOXICITY \u2013 Y10S2 UPDATE<\/a>&nbsp;(Ubisoft)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.callofduty.com\/warzone\/ricochet\">Call of Duty\u00ae | RICOCHET<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"\u2122\" class=\"wp-smiley lazyload\" style=\"height: 1em;max-height: 1em\" data-src=\"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/16.0.1\/72x72\/2122.png\"> Anti-Cheat<\/a>&nbsp;(Call of Duty)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.callofduty.com\/blog\/2025\/09\/call-of-duty-black-ops-6-ricochet-anti-cheat-season-05-reloaded\">RICOCHET Anti-Cheat<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"\u2122\" class=\"wp-smiley lazyload\" style=\"height: 1em;max-height: 1em\" data-src=\"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/16.0.1\/72x72\/2122.png\"> Update \u2013 Season 05 Reloaded<\/a>&nbsp;(Call of Duty)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https:\/\/esportsinsider.com\/cheating-in-multiplayer-games-and-esports-impact\">Cheating is on the rise in multiplayer games, and it could spell disaster for competitive esports<\/a> appeared first on <a href=\"https:\/\/esportsinsider.com\">Esports Insider<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Scorestreak and soldier in Black Ops 7 \/ Image credit: Call of Duty TL;DR Cheating and bad behaviour in multiplayer video games are more apparent than ever in 2025. Major game publishers and developers are combating cheating by banning offenders and implementing new detection systems within their games. Games like Apex Legends, Rainbow Six Siege X, and Call of Duty [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2705,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2703","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.declareitspiritwear.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2703","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.declareitspiritwear.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.declareitspiritwear.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.declareitspiritwear.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.declareitspiritwear.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2703"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/www.declareitspiritwear.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2703\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2712,"href":"http:\/\/www.declareitspiritwear.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2703\/revisions\/2712"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.declareitspiritwear.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2705"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.declareitspiritwear.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2703"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.declareitspiritwear.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2703"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.declareitspiritwear.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2703"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}