Escape from Tarkov is an online multiplayer game. It features two massive military corporations as factions. Both of them fighting over the ruins of the titular city. Players need to survive, scavenge, and work together to fight the corporations. They also must fight the various Scav gangs that have taken over Tarkov’s ruins. But a much larger and more impactful battle is being fought over the game itself. The developers have scored a victory against cheaters.
Over 11,000 cheaters have gotten banned from playing Escape from Tarkov. Plus the company’s X page released their nicknames. It doesn’t fix the problem of cheaters and the software that they are using to cheat. However, it does put a massive dent in the numbers of active cheaters. Plus it could even make people less inclined to cheat in the future.
How The Cheat Catching Works
Between December 2023 and January 2024, developers banned 11,000 cheaters. The developers caught these cheaters with the help of BattlEye anti-cheat software. This software is the ‘gold standard’ for anti-cheat software. Because it scans the active servers and catches cheating players.
When they get detected they can be instantly kicked. Plus, the admins of the server are automatically alerted. But it isn’t just detecting the players using the cheating software, but also the software itself. Common cheating software is also detected by BattlEye. Then any player using it gets banned.
Additionally, BattlEye supports global bans as well. Allowing for the mass bans of cheating players. They can kick players based on their Steam and Discord accounts as well. Plus the program is constantly evolving to take down even more hacks. BattlEye’s software has partnered with countless games. These include ARMA, Dayz, Ark Survival Evolved, and Rainbow 6 Siege 2.
What Common Cheats Are Being Used?
Many players and popular steamers are saying that the game is in the worst state it has ever been. This all started with the release of the 0.14 patch. The patch was released with a new map, a new boss, and a brand-new recoil system. Additionally, the game has seen a massive influx of new players. Most of them are playing the brand new Ground Zero map. This map is solely for players under level 20. On the map, new players learn the game without encountering higher-level players.
However, all of these players are dealing with cheaters. Cheaters can shoot through walls and score impossible headshots. They can also see through walls and ceilings. There are even cheats that allow characters to vacuum loot to them from anywhere on the map. Many people have even found that despite having their characters hidden, they are still getting shot. In fact, some people can even see the stats and the head gear of the players as well, all through the message chat.
There is also a common cheat where players can see everything about their opponents. Including where they are currently looking. The cheats are getting very frustrating for a lot of players. Especially since death is such a setback for all of the players involved.
These Ban Waves Have Happened Before
If you are a new player, you may enjoy seeing 11,000 cheaters banned and shamed for the gaming community to see. However, this isn’t the first time that this has happened. In March of 2023, 6,700 players got banned. In July 2023, the devs banned over 16,600 cheaters from playing the game. Countless players have suffered the banhammer, but it isn’t clear if the actual problem has been solved.
Plus, plenty of cheaters often have alternate accounts that they play on solely to cheat. When one account is banned, they simply switch to another and resume their methods. These ban waves are effective at dealing with one part of the problem. But they aren’t actually solving the issue of what is allowing cheaters free reign in the first place.
This Is Only The First Strike Against Cheaters
This massive ban wave took a dent out of the cheating community in Escape from Tarkov. It isn’t the only action that is being taken. The recent profile addition allows people to see the stats of players. Such as the hours played and the kill-to-death ratios that the player has experienced. For many players, if those numbers don’t add up and don’t make sense, then that player is very likely cheating. Additionally, many older players have had to turn to cheating. Just to combat the newer hackers who want to ruin the game for everyone.
Escape from Tarkov has done these types of ban waves before. Tens of thousands of players are banned and their names are posted to have them shamed. However, that hasn’t been enough, and with the 0.14 update, the cheating only appears to be worse than it has ever been. While cheating has almost always been a problem in Escape from Tarkov, it is not getting better.
How To Have Fun While Playing Escape From Tarkov
It doesn’t matter if you are playing the game for the first time or your 500th hour. At the end of the day, you will very likely encounter cheaters and that is just going to be part of the experience. At the end of the day, all you can do is just take a deep breath and get back to gaming. Or simply take a break. At the end of the day, Escape From Tarkov is just a game and the cheating is going to keep on happening.
With tens of thousands of fans continuing to be banned. And with more and more waves happening, there is a chance for the game to improve. It is very unlikely that cheating will ever stop being a massive problem with Escape from Tarkov. But if you want to have fun playing the game, it might be worth taking a break. Just until the cheating stops becoming as severe as it is now.
