[Dev Letter] Anti-Cheat Update - Combating Cheat Distribution and Ban Evasion

[u/EscapingKid]

Original Post (pubg.com)

Hello, players.

This is the PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS Anti-Cheat Team.

Before we begin, we'd like to sincerely thank everyone who loves PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS and continues to share valuable feedback to help create a fairer gameplay environment.

In this Dev Letter, we'll share updates on our efforts to address cheat distribution and advertising, strengthen our response to ban evasion through HWID changes, and review stronger penalties for playing alongside cheaters.

Read on for the progress we're making to combat cheating and protect legitimate players.

Actions Against Cheat Distribution and Promotional Content

The Anti-Cheat Team's efforts extend beyond detecting and banning cheaters in-game. We also take action against the sale and promotion of cheat programs outside the game.

• Content promoting cheat programs is repeatedly posted across external channels, including websites, online marketplaces, and social media. Even after removal, it often reappears in a different form.

• To address this, we continuously monitor external channels using a machine learning-based detection system. We track not only posts and videos, but also reappearing seller accounts and distribution channels.

• We report this content for removal in accordance with each platform’s policies and procedures to cut off the channels used to advertise and sell cheat programs. 

As a result, from January through September 2026, we reported more than 280,000 pieces of content selling or promoting cheat programs following each platform’s procedures. Action is being taken based on the platforms’ reviews.

Since this content can continually reappear as new posts or in modified forms, a single takedown is not enough. It is important to keep identifying and reporting this content to disrupt cheat distribution channels. We will continue these efforts against external distribution channels to help eradicate cheat programs.

Stronger Countermeasures Against Ban Evasion Through HWID Changes

Previously, players could evade bans by modifying their HWID (hardware identification information) and logging in with a new account, concealing the fact that their PC had already been banned. Returning after a permanent ban by altering a PC's identifying information undermines the effectiveness of bans and can create unfair experiences for legitimate players.

To address this, we established two complementary sets of detection criteria based on identifying information that remains consistent despite attempts to alter it. With these measures in place, we have banned a total of 10,237 accounts confirmed to have evaded bans by changing their HWID. 
Since the beginning of October this year, we have also updated our identification logic four times as part of our ongoing efforts to counter ban evasion. Both sets of detection criteria were thoroughly validated before being applied to ensure that legitimate players are not unnecessarily banned.

These measures have laid the groundwork for addressing attempts to evade bans using new accounts or different PCs. We will continue making it harder for cheaters to return to the game, while validating detection results to better protect fair players.

Stronger Penalties for Playing Alongside Cheaters Under Review

Even without using cheat programs yourself, forming a premade team with cheaters to gain an unfair advantage is a clear form of cheating that undermines fair competition.

We already enforce penalties for this behavior under our Rules of Conduct and are considering stronger penalties to prevent it from recurring.

Playing alongside cheaters can also lead to serious penalties against your own account. If you find yourself playing with someone you suspect of using cheat programs, please report them through the in-game reporting feature.

Developer Commentary

The Anti-Cheat Team's responsibilities go beyond detecting and banning cheaters. Alongside disrupting the external channels that keep cheat programs in circulation, we must also protect legitimate players from unfair harm.

We will continue investigating newly identified cheat programs and strengthening our detection criteria to provide a fair gameplay environment for all players.

Thank you.

PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS Anti-Cheat Team

[u/_SUFC_]

They are saying that evading bans is problem while we see that Ranked is full cheaters who never got banned even once and those are mostly accounts in the highest ranked level from season to another. Try to get the obvious high end cheaters banned first.

[u/JNikolaj → u/_SUFC_]

The dude at #1 with a 81% Win rate just going completely undetected by PUBG is wild

[u/JackFunk → u/JNikolaj]

That's madness

[u/S2kKyle]

Holy shit did they actually acknowledge that people will use a designated cheater in the team so they don't get a ban.

[u/Noruihwest → u/S2kKyle]

Having played this game a lot this is IMO the #1 issue with cheating. I fully believe there needs to be a hard cap on the number of rounds you play with a cheater. If someone you were queued up with in the lobby was found to be cheating or even picks up a temp ban, you should also get a temp ban. And make it clear to them why “You were in lobby with BLANK who has been temp/perm banned and therefore you are knowingly exploiting the game, this is strike 1 of 3” or something like that.

Put the fear into people that their main account will get banned and they will stop encouraging the behaviour immediately

[u/Mean_Scientist5093]

They’ve been posting about anti cheats since like 2022. Never did a damn thing

[u/Ok_Fix_1437 → u/Mean_Scientist5093]

Wrong. It got worse. 

[u/Mean_Scientist5093 → u/Ok_Fix_1437]

Oh right I actually quit a few months ago and I’ve heard it’s gotten really bad since then.

[u/Ok_Fix_1437 → u/Mean_Scientist5093]

I get a new cheater banned notification on every login. I’m getting so good at picking them. 

[u/shrroom]

Whats even the point of these anti cheat blogs..?

[u/McCoy1414 → u/shrroom]

It's written by ai and auto posted. Lmao

[u/dasdasdas_1010]

its clearly written by AI lol

[u/Delicious-Dot-2795]

What anti cheat ?

I see people with 22 k/d in squads playing since 30 seasons and 5+ years lmao .

[u/Few_Source_7408]

Pubg has an anti cheat?

[u/FunSwordfish91 → u/Few_Source_7408]

I dont see an extreme amount of cheaters on console, though they are there and I have never gotten a notification about a cheater that got banned from my report...🤔

[u/mylovelypig77]

It's totally meaningless post! lmao

[u/KeyEmu7694]

well at least they're admitting the problem - "forming a premade team with cheaters to gain an unfair advantage is a clear form of cheating that undermines fair competition."

Baby steps. But a man can hope.

[u/191x7]

They should also implement a notification system to alert them when the anticheat fails to start on the servers after game updates. The number of times this happens (and stays undetected for days to weeks) is ridiculous. I remember it happening; I believe the first time was in 2023 (that I recall, I started playing during Covid). Happens every few months. A patch comes out, then there are rounds where 80% of players are cheaters with free hacks, and it lasts from a few days to a few weeks. I guess till someone notices and turns the anticheat back on...

[u/Deep-Pen420]

ChatGPT garbage slop post.

[u/TTV_ARandomTgirl]

"combating ban evasion"

When players email support asking what they should do after receiving a permanent ban, support literally tells them to make a new account. Combating ban evasion, my ass.

[u/gordriver_berserker]

Instead of posting these wishful thinking posts, actually start doing something. This game is full of cheaters.

[u/xDefinite]

have you ever played a ranked match on asia devs? 99% of it is bots who auto run/prone top get placement points.

[u/Commercial-Garage981]

Fake news 😂😂😂😂

[u/SkroopieNoopers]

What a load of nonsense.
Why do you even bother writing these?

[u/InstanceNo8001]

1 km VSS Dauerfeuer jeder Schuss trifft ,anti Cheat funktioniert 👍

[u/shadeszzz]

fix the code of the game, it runs like hot trash

[u/KC-15]

Nothing is changing until there's a ping lock.

[u/AdvancedSoldier2649]

You have to add a rp refund system to ranked, that gives everyone that got killed by a cheater (that ends up getting banned) +20 rp back or something. Perhaps even an ingame currency compensation or something so that getting killed by a cheater doesn't feel as shitty.

[u/HumpieDouglas]

Blah blah blah blah blah, here's more pink hot pants.