Riot Games’ anti-cheat policies are prompting player concerns over increasingly stringent system security requirements for PC titles, according to recent reports.
These measures, notably involving the Riot Vanguard anti-cheat system, are perceived by some players as complicating the PC gaming experience with demands for specific hardware settings and background updates. The company aims to combat advanced cheating methods.
Vanguard, a kernel-level anti-cheat, now dictates certain computer hardware configurations, particularly in games like Valorant. Players may be required to enable security features such as Input-Output Memory Management Unit (IOMMU), Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0, and Secure Boot.
Additionally, in some cases, the system may prompt users to update their motherboard firmware. This process carries inherent risks if power is lost during the update. However, Riot Games clarified that Vanguard does not damage hardware or “brick” PCs. Instead, it renders specific cheat devices unusable and restricts game access for systems that do not meet its security baseline.
The evolution of PC gaming has seen a shift from simpler game launches to environments requiring more extensive security protocols to counter sophisticated cheating techniques, such as those using Direct Memory Access (DMA) cards. Riot Games states these stringent measures are necessary to maintain competitive integrity across its offerings.
Players encountering restrictions receive error messages detailing the necessary security settings or firmware updates needed to play Riot Games titles. The company maintains that these efforts are part of an ongoing “arms race” against hardware cheats.
