Does Escape From Tarkov need better anti-cheats? Vanguard's success raises questions

Escape From Tarkov, like most online multiplayer titles, has a cheating issue that can potentially downgrade the overall gameplay experience. A recent X post by @PlayerIGN stated that Riot Games’ Vanguard anti-cheat system seems to be more efficient for the survival extraction game as well, compared to the existing Battleye software. It also contains a screenshot with a specific statement that says Valorant would not start if the PC has any Tarkov cheats installed.

This effectively means that players are faced with two choices - either run cheats for Escape From Tarkov or be able to play Valorant on the same system. While it might not seem like a huge leap, this could potentially deter a lot of hackers away from the extraction shooter to be able to play Riot’s competitive First-Person Shooter (FPS) title.

This article will highlight the possible need for a stronger anti-cheat system for Escape From Tarkov.

Note: Parts of this article are subjective and reflect the opinion of the author.

---

Valorant’s Vanguard could potentially counter Escape From Tarkov cheaters

The Vanguard anti-cheat software is a Kernel-level system that has complete access to a system and seems to be more potent when it comes to detecting third-party cheat tools. This has helped Riot Games maintain a healthy experience in Valorant, which the community often praises.

However, the same might not be true for Escape From Tarkov. The playerbase has made multiple requests to the developers for better anti-cheat software to detect and ban cheaters in this survival game. This issue has been addressed multiple times with in-game patches, but remains to be fixed permanently. However, it is difficult to completely remove hackers in an online title.

Vanguard seems to be able to detect cheats that are meant to provide players with an advantage in Escape From Tarkov. Although it causes the anti-cheat to block Valorant from booting up in the same system, this proves that there is a way to identify specific files that could be used as cheats in a game.

Since it is possible to detect such files by existing anti-cheat software, there is a chance that the devs could utilize a similar route to improve the state of the survival game. However, there are a few obstacles that need to be addressed before making such a decision. The first is the development of a Vanguard-like system that would run on the Kernel level.

Another thorn in this route is that a percentage of the playerbase might be against the idea of running intrusive software on their PCs. This could create a negative impact and drive down the player count for the extraction shooter.

---

Fans and enthusiasts can keep an eye out for the official Escape From Tarkov X page for more announcements.

Stay tuned to Sportskeeda for more updates, news, and guides.

Escape from Tarkov Bad Feeling event

How to complete Golden Swag in Escape from Tarkov

Saving the Mole in Escape from Tarkov

Escape from Tarkov alternative games in 2024