Riot Games' Valorant Anti-Cheat Update Soft-Bricks Expensive DMA Cheating Hardware
Riot Games updated its Vanguard anti-cheat software for Valorant to block Direct Memory Access (DMA) cheating devices, effectively "soft-bricking" the $6,000 hardware and requiring a full OS reinstall to restore functionality. Riot taunted cheaters on social media, sparking community debate. While many applaud the aggressive anti-cheat stance, others raise concerns about Vanguard's kernel-level access, labeling it potentially intrusive or malware-like.
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Valorant anti-cheat update soft-bricks $6,000 cheating hardware, company trolls cheaters on social media
Riot Games has updated its Vanguard anti-cheat software in Valorant to block cheaters using expensive Direct Memory Access (DMA) cheating devices costing up to $6,000. The update reportedly 'soft-bricks' the hardware, requiring a full OS reinstall to restore functionality, though reinstalling Valorant or Vanguard would trigger the same block. Riot Games further taunted cheaters on X (formerly Twitter), posting 'congrats to the owners of a brand new $6k paperweight.' The move has drawn mixed reactions: some gamers applaud the aggressive anti-cheat stance, while others raise concerns about the intrusive nature of kernel-level anti-cheat software, with some labeling it borderline malware due to potential security vulnerabilities and misuse risks.
Latest from Tom's HardwareValorant anti-cheat update soft-bricks $6,000 cheating hardware, company trolls cheaters on social media
Riot Games updated its Vanguard anti-cheat software in Valorant to block cheaters using expensive DMA (Direct Memory Access) devices costing up to $6,000. The update reportedly 'soft-bricks' the cheating hardware, requiring a full OS reinstall to restore functionality, though reinstalling Valorant or Vanguard would trigger the same block. Riot Games further mocked cheaters on X (formerly Twitter), posting 'Congrats to the owners of a brand new $6k paperweight.' The gaming community is divided, with some applauding the aggressive anti-cheat action while others raise concerns about the ethical implications and potential security risks of kernel-level anti-cheat software, which some have labeled as borderline malware.
Latest from Tom's HardwareValorant anti-cheat update soft-bricks $6,000 cheating hardware, company trolls cheaters on social media
Riot Games has updated its Vanguard anti-cheat software in Valorant to block cheaters using Direct Memory Access (DMA) devices that cost up to $6,000. The update effectively soft-bricks the cheating hardware, requiring a full operating system reinstall to restore functionality, though reinstalling Valorant or Vanguard would trigger the same block. Riot Games further provoked cheaters by posting on X: 'Congrats to the owners of a brand new $6k paperweight.' While many in the gaming community applauded the move, others raised concerns about the ethical implications of Vanguard's kernel-level access, with some labeling it as borderline malware due to potential security vulnerabilities and misuse risks.
Latest from Tom's HardwareValorant anti-cheat update soft-bricks $6,000 cheating hardware, company trolls cheaters on social media
Riot Games updated its Vanguard anti-cheat software in Valorant to block cheaters using expensive DMA (Direct Memory Access) devices costing up to $6,000. The update reportedly 'soft-bricks' the cheating hardware, requiring a full OS reinstall to restore functionality, though reinstalling Valorant or Vanguard would trigger the same block. Riot Games further mocked cheaters on X (formerly Twitter), posting 'Congrats to the owners of a brand new $6k paperweight.' The gaming community is divided: some applaud the aggressive anti-cheat action, while others raise concerns about the ethical implications of Vanguard's kernel-level access, with some labeling it borderline 'malware.'
Latest from Tom's HardwareValorant Dev Riot Sparks Uproar Over Vanguard Anti-Cheat Update Targeting DMA Hack Hardware
A controversial social media post from Riot Games, the developer of Valorant, has caused an uproar in the gaming community by fueling a misunderstanding that its Vanguard anti-cheat software could brick players' PCs. The controversy stems from a new update to Vanguard that targets Direct Memory Access (DMA) firmware cards—specialized hardware used by cheaters to bypass kernel-level anti-cheat systems. Players misinterpreted the update's capabilities, fearing it could render their expensive gaming PCs unusable. Riot's snarky post, which included a remark about owners of a 'brand new $6k paperweight,' exacerbated the confusion. The article clarifies that Vanguard is designed to block DMA firmware from functioning, not to physically damage hardware. The incident highlights ongoing tensions between anti-cheat measures and player trust in competitive PC gaming.
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