Riot Games has taken another decisive step in its ongoing war against bot accounts in VALORANT. In a recent tweet, a Riot Vanguard developer announced a new ban wave targeting bot accounts, stating that around 500,000 accounts were removed globally.

Beyond account bans, Riot is also introducing hardware ID (HWID) bans to specifically target bot farms. These operations mass-produce accounts to be sold on the black market, allowing cheaters and smurfers to bypass the traditional progression system. By blocking entire hardware IDs, Riot aims to make it significantly harder for these groups to continue their operations.

A very complex topic

Addressing botting and cheating in online games is a complex challenge requiring continuous adaptation. The crackdown on botting is just one aspect of Riot’s larger efforts to keep VALORANT fair and competitive. With an ever-evolving anti-cheat system, the company is making it clear that it will not allow exploiters to “cook” anymore, as the tweet humorously phrased it.

This latest wave of bans sends a strong message to players and botting operations alike: Riot is actively monitoring and taking action against any behavior that undermines competitive integrity. With Riot continuously refining its anti-cheat measures, players can expect ongoing improvements in the fight against botting and unfair gameplay.