Riot Games Bans Player's PC Hardware Over Previous Owner's Cheating
Riot Games has banned a player's game account and PC hardware components due to the previous owner of a purchased used CPU using cheat software.
Game developer Riot Games has permanently banned a player's account and locked several PC hardware components, including the motherboard and hard drive, because the previously used CPU they purchased was flagged for cheating.
The player acquired a used AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D processor on September 21. After installing the CPU and attempting to launch Riot Games' title 'Valorant,' the player found their account suspended. Upon contacting Riot Games, they discovered the CPU's serial number had been added to the Vanguard anti-cheat system's hardware blacklist on August 12, following the previous owner's violation of the game's terms of service using cheat software.
The Vanguard system's action extended beyond the game account to hardware components. The player's motherboard and hard drive were also blacklisted, necessitating a complete replacement of PC hardware to play Riot Games titles again.
Vanguard is Riot Games' proprietary anti-cheat system, which operates with a kernel-level driver. It starts at system boot to scan hardware configurations. If it detects blacklisted hardware, it prevents that hardware from accessing any Riot Games titles.
This incident highlights a significant risk in the used PC hardware market. Buyers of second-hand components, especially those playing competitive online games, may inadvertently acquire hardware with a ban history, leading to costly replacements and potential loss of access.