PUBG Developers Share Update on Anti-Cheat Improvements

The developers of PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS have published a new blog post on the game's official website, detailing enhanced measures being taken to combat cheating and unfair play. The update outlines the team's ongoing efforts to improve the anti-cheat system and maintain a fair gameplay environment.

Hello players,

In today’s PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS Anti-Cheat Roadmap, we’d like to share the current state of our anti-cheat efforts along with our direction and detailed plans moving forward.

The Reality We Face, and Our Responsibility

Illegal software has rapidly evolved, becoming increasingly sophisticated in both detection evasion techniques and operational methods. Recently, even in PUBG, we've seen cheats that bypass our detection systems or operate in new ways. At times, our previous measures haven’t been able to keep up with these changes.

Facing this reality, we have come to a point where simply blocking cheats is no longer enough. Many of you have already felt the impact through growing fatigue and reduced immersion caused by repeated encounters with cheaters, which we continue to hear through community feedback.

We will not dismiss these voices with mere statistics. We acknowledge the seriousness of the current situation, and it is our responsibility not to remain complacent with our past approaches, but to strive for more effective measures.

This roadmap isn’t just about new features—it’s about sharing our direction and key strategies as transparently as possible. By recognizing why previous methods were insufficient, we're aiming to build a more structured system, more precise detection models, and practical operations so you can fully focus on playing, not dealing with cheaters. As a global service, PUBG is also developing region-specific strategies based on illegal software trends and threat levels in each part of the world.

Now is the time to rebuild trust through real systems and action rather than words. What follows in today’s roadmap is our first step in that direction.

Toward a Sustainable Anti-Cheat System

Until now, PUBG Anti-Cheat has focused on short-term suppression—diversifying detection models and refining ban criteria to enhance our immediate response capabilities.

But that hasn’t been enough. Cheats don’t disappear just because we block a single function. They continue to evolve smarter, subtler, and faster than ever.

That’s why we believe we can’t afford to stay reactive. What we need now is a structural shift: a system-wide overhaul that goes beyond technical detection. Our goal is to create a self-sustaining anti-cheat system that constantly detects, learns, classifies, and adapts on its own.

To support that, we’re closely analyzing the reports, feedback, and gameplay data players provide. This information isn’t just supplementary but the compass that guides the direction for the PUBG Anti-Cheat system and the most accurate reflection of what’s happening in the game.

A New Direction for Anti-Cheat Strategy

As illegal software grows more advanced, PUBG also needs a structural shift that allows us to understand player behavior more holistically and respond more effectively.

We aim to improve our anti-cheat system to be built on safety and trust, taking into account every part of the player experience both in and outside the game. Our 2025 anti-cheat strategy thus focuses on two pillars: safety in the game and trust outside of it.

To do this, we're rebuilding our systems to closely analyze each player’s activity both in and out of the game, and better classify behavior based on a wide range of patterns. This includes going beyond technical detection to consider gameplay style, account activity, and community sentiment for more accurate, tailored responses.

Ultimately, our goal is a layered defense: faster, more accurate detection in-game to ban cheaters in real time, and stronger systems outside the game to protect accounts and block cheaters before they even get in.

Building a Data-Driven, Precision Response System

Illegal programs are no longer just an in-game issue—they now threaten access routes and undermine trust across the entire community.

To tackle this, we’re taking a deeper look at data from both inside and outside the game. By bringing together a wide range of data such as real-time gameplay info, player reports, and community sentiment, more precise and well-structured measures will be developed based on clear analytical standards.

1. Detecting Suspicious In-Game Behavior

Detect suspicious players based on various gameplay data (e.g., abnormal actions and repetitive patterns)

Minimize unintended player impact through protective policies for player groups that are at higher risk of false positives.

※ Our goal is not just to detect, but to build a more advanced anti-cheat system through a positive feedback loop of detection, learning, and refinement.

2. Strengthening Out-of-Game Security and Community Trust

Build a layered defense system that blocks cheaters from entering or re-entering the game, while strengthening account protection and community response

Introduce new features that can proactively block cheaters outside the game

Scale up global community monitoring and operational staff to reflect player feedback in real time and detect illegal activity early on

Ultimately, our anti-cheat strategy is built on three pillars: tech-based detection, behavior-based classification, and learning from player reports. Our goal is to create an environment where all players can focus on the game itself, without worrying about cheaters. And at the heart of that effort are your reports, gameplay data, and community feedback.

Enhancement of Sustainable In/Out-of-Game Anti-Cheat Measures

Cheating is no longer a problem that can be solved with a single solution. It requires a comprehensive strategy—one that goes beyond in-game detection and enforcement to include blocking entry routes before cheaters get in, preventing system bypasses, and improving account management.

With that in mind, we’d like to introduce the key anti-cheat initiatives currently in progress, both inside and outside the game.

Advancing In-Game Anti-Cheat Features

One of the most common concerns we hear from players is, “I reported a cheater, but not sure if they're banned,” or “I was unfairly banned.”

Now, it’s not just about catching more—it’s about catching more accurately, responding faster, and clearly communicating why action was taken.

1. Expanding and Refining Detection Models

We clearly recognize that a wide variety of illegal programs exist. Tools like ESP and aimbots—frequently reported in the community—continue to evolve and reappear, even after major game updates or patches.

To respond effectively, we’ve implemented an AI-powered detection system that analyzes gameplay patterns and suspicious behavior in real time to determine potential cheat usage.

On top of that, we’re gradually rolling out more precise detection technologies that can identify specific types of abnormal behavior. These systems are designed not only to detect, but also to trigger automatic bans with speed and accuracy.

As illegal software continues to evolve, we remain committed to advancing both the precision and speed of our detection capabilities.

2. Improving the Report System

Our current report system faces two major structural challenges:

First, even when a report is submitted against a suspected cheater, there’s a delay before they are banned. This lag leads to frustration, as players feel that harm isn’t being prevented in time.

Second, we've received continuous feedback that the ban criteria aren’t aligned with how players perceive cheating in real gameplay.

To address these issues, we’re working to both strengthen the report system’s structure and improve its effectiveness.

We’re adjusting how our monitoring teams operate to speed up response times from report to resolution, as well as expanding our staff to support more agile operations.

We’ve recently revised our ban policies to take behavior-based evidence more seriously, strengthening penalties in cases where clear intent is identified. Also, we’re refining our analytics system to prioritize reports based on type, improve the accuracy of bans and lay the groundwork for potential automation.

These improvements aren’t just about higher efficiency—they’re designed to reduce player harm and make bans more effective. This is all part of our broader effort to build a more advanced anti-cheat system.

3. Preventing False Bans and Exploring an Automated Unban System

As our detection models expand and ban criteria become stricter on suspected cheaters, we understand the growing concern around innocent players being mistakenly penalized. To reduce false bans, we're working on systems that more accurately distinguish between cheaters and legitimate players. One of the ideas under review is an automated unban system that uses identity verification. Such a system comes with security and operational risks, so please understand that we’re taking time to carefully assess its feasibility.

While we remain committed to further strengthening our ban policy against cheaters, we also recognize false bans can still occur.

We feel obliged to improve situations where innocent players lose access to the game or feel unfairly treated due to false bans. That’s why, along with exploring an automated unban system, we’re also reviewing the feasibility of a compensation system for false bans.

Stopping illegal software is essential, but so is protecting the rights of innocent players. Our goal is to advance both detection and protection systems together, building a stronger foundation of trust.

4. Introducing Secondary Password Protection

To prevent the use of stolen accounts for cheating, we plan to introduce two-factor authentication that can block unauthorized access.

Even if an account is leaked, this system can ensure that only the rightful owner can log in, allowing players to protect themselves from account hijacking simply by enabling it.

It will also fundamentally block a common reentry method for cheaters—purchasing or illegally acquiring stolen accounts.

As PUBG operates globally, we must meet various international standards such as the GDPR in Europe, Korea’s Personal Information Protection Act, and China’s Data Security Law regarding authentication and account policy. These legal and operational requirements mean it may take some time to fully implement the system. We’re actively working toward introducing it within this year, and will share more details on its scope and release timeline through our official channels.

Strengthening Out-of-Game Defense Systems

We’re reinforcing preemptive measures outside the game as well, to block cheaters from re-entering the game in the first place.

1. Blocking Reentry of Cheaters

We're developing a system that uses strong hardware-based authentication to prevent banned users from re-accessing the game with new accounts on the same device.

This system is designed to detect tampering and block attempts to bypass bans through ID spoofing or disguising hardware identity.

2. Integrating Windows Security Features

To prevent illegal software from exploiting Windows OS security structures, we’re preparing to enforce certain security features by default.

These features enhance system security by blocking illegal programs from running in the first place, preventing the use of cheat tools.

However, because PUBG operates globally, we’re carefully reviewing differences in OS environments, player convenience, and technical or policy-related constraints in each region. A cautious approach is being taken to ensure stability and compatibility before the rollout.

3. Addressing Illegal Software Sites and Mass Account Creation

We’re exploring ways to effectively block the endless creation of macro accounts and detect patterns of illegal software ads that appear in specific game modes.

Suspicious accounts created in bulk through macros will be preemptively identified, categorized, and banned on a regular basis before they can be exploited. This will help us block repeated account creation early and more effectively target accounts created for promoting cheats.

As for illegal software distribution websites, we’ve consistently issued takedown and shutdown requests targeting those used for selling or advertising cheats. When sites don’t comply, we coordinate with local governments and law enforcement to take stronger legal action.

We’re also preparing swift legal actions to threats like IP infringement, phishing, and malware, alongside technical blocks to strengthen enforcement. These efforts go beyond one-time actions—they’re part of our strategy to block cheaters from re-entering the game while cutting off their distribution networks at the same time.

4. Strengthening Community Monitoring and Response

When it comes to fighting cheaters, your voice is our most important resource.

Expanding Staff and Real-Time Feedback Capabilities

In 2025, we’re aiming to grow our operations and enforcement teams to five times their current size, as well as upgrading our systems to respond more quickly to the community.

PUBG currently operates a two-track ban system—one driven by automation, the other by human review:

First, anti-cheat and AI technologies automatically detect and penalize abnormal behavior patterns.

Second, our Anti-Cheat team manually reviews cases backed by evidence such as in-game reports or community reports and issue permanent bans if applicable.

This manual process has become significantly more efficient and accurate as we recently revised our review and ban criteria. That’s why we’re not only improving our tools but expanding our team to enhance our ability to monitor the community and respond in real time.

Advancing Our Global Community Monitoring System

Regional managers monitor and analyze community sentiment in real time, tailored to each region’s characteristics and concerns.

Collected feedback is turned into data to inform system design and will also serve as a key reference for new features and policy decisions in the future.

Wrapping Up the Anti-Cheat Roadmap

This isn’t a one-time fix—it’s a structural shift.

This roadmap isn’t just about adding a few new features as a short-term measure. It’s a multi-layer overhaul covering every stage of the anti-cheat cycle—from blocking entry, to detection, to bans, to recovery.

Also, we’re shifting to a more transparent communication approach to help players see and understand our anti-cheat efforts.

In the past, we were cautious about sharing too much, fearing that it could expose our strategies to illegal software developers and distributors. It’s true that we haven’t always made it clear that we do take your frustrations seriously.

Going forward, we’ll listen more closely to your intuition and experiences, empathize with your frustrations, and work with you to shape a system that can satisfy you through continuous communication.

The fight against cheaters isn’t just about technology. It’s about creating a fair environment and making sure player feedback shapes the system—that’s what PUBG Anti-Cheat is all about.

This news follows the recent release of the fourth PUBG’s Community Clips series on YouTube, which features top highlights from partners and regular players.

Origin: pubg.com