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● LIVE Updated 1h ago · 16 sources tracked

Valorant Player Banned Due To Previous CPU Owner’s Cheating Ways

A gamer who bought a secondhand Ryzen 7 5800X3D processor on the German classifieds site Kleinanzeigen found themselves locked out of Valorant. The user, known on Reddit as After-Cartoonist-196, claims that installing the processor associated their system with an existing hardware ban tied to the chip's previous owner. Anti-cheat engines like Riot's Vanguard flag hardware IDs, which can expose unsuspecting buyers of used components to bans. While buyers face hidden risks when purchasing secondary market hardware, Riot Games' anti-cheat leadership has disputed parts of the narrative, asserting that processor bans do not function in this manner.

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  • ✓ A buyer of a used Ryzen 7 5800X3D CPU found themselves locked out of Valorant after purchasing the chip through the German classifieds site Kleinanzeigen.
  • ✓ Riot Games' Vanguard anti-cheat system flags hardware IDs associated with cheating.
  • ✓ Riot anticheat leadership has disputed parts of the player's story concerning how secondhand CPUs interact with bans.
🛡️ Source Corroboration: 16 independent reporting domains (90% confidence) ⏱ Read time: ~2 min

What changed

Riot Games responded to the incident by disputing parts of the player's account regarding how secondhand hardware triggers penalties.

Live updates

  1. Used CPU Purchase Triggers Valorant Ban Due to Previous Owner

    A gamer who bought a secondhand Ryzen 7 5800X3D processor on the German classifieds site Kleinanzeigen found themselves locked out of Valorant. The user, known on Reddit as After-Cartoonist-196, claims that installing the processor associated their system with an existing hardware ban tied to the chip's previous owner. Anti-cheat engines like Riot's Vanguard flag hardware IDs, which can expose unsuspecting buyers of used components to bans. While buyers face hidden risks when purchasing secondary market hardware, Riot Games' anti-cheat leadership has disputed parts of the narrative, asserting that processor bans do not function in this manner.

    Why it matters

    Purchasing computer components through the secondary market offers savings but introduces hidden hazards regarding hardware histories. Anti-cheat software monitors specific identifiers to permanently or temporarily penalize cheaters. This incident highlights the vulnerability of players buying used hardware when anti-cheat systems track past infractions across different owners.

    What is confirmed

    • A buyer of a used Ryzen 7 5800X3D CPU found themselves locked out of Valorant after purchasing the chip through the German classifieds site Kleinanzeigen.
    • Riot Games' Vanguard anti-cheat system flags hardware IDs associated with cheating.
    • Riot anticheat leadership has disputed parts of the player's story concerning how secondhand CPUs interact with bans.

    Still unconfirmed

    • The buyer claims that nothing short of replacing the entire PC will overcome the detection system.
    • The developer stated that CPU bans do not extend to other PC components.

    What to watch next

    • Further technical clarification from Riot Games regarding hardware ID tracking.
    • Evidence showing whether specific secondhand components can directly transfer bans to new users.
    Sources used for this update (15)
    1. Tom's Hardware — Buying used CPUs can expose users to existing bans from anti-cheat engines, and there's no way to check for violations before purchase — some anti-cheat engines enforce permanent bans, while others have an expiration date
    2. TechPowerUp — Used Ryzen 7 5800X3D Gets Buyer Locked Out of Valorant Due to Previous Owner's Cheating
    3. heise online — Used processor leads to game ban
    4. Kotaku — Valorant Player Banned Due To Previous CPU Owner’s Cheating Ways
    5. PC Gamer — Valorant player claims to have inherited hardware ban through secondhand CPU, Riot anticheat boss disputes parts of story
    6. PCWorld — Your used CPU might come with someone else’s Valorant ban
    7. wccftech.com — Gamer Buys Used Ryzen 7 5800X3D, Gets Locked Out of Valorant ...
    8. www.techpowerup.com — Used Ryzen 7 5800X3D Gets Buyer Locked Out of Valorant Due to ...
    9. kotaku.com — Valorant Player Banned Due To Previous GPU Owner’s Cheating
    10. www.dexerto.com — Riot responds after Valorant player claims a used CPU got them banned - Dexerto
    11. www.pcgamer.com — Valorant player claims to have inherited hardware ban through secondhand CPU, Riot anticheat boss dispute....
    12. www.heise.de — Used processor leads to game ban | heise online
    confidence 90%
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