The highly anticipated North American esports final of the popular online shooter, Apex Legends, has been delayed due to alarming claims of hacking. Players participating in the tournament shared video clips revealing the activation of illicit cheat modes during matches, causing widespread concern among competitors.
Footage circulated by players depicted the unauthorized activation of cheat modes, triggering chaos among opponents mid-match. The organizers of the official regional competition expressed concerns over the compromised “competitive integrity” of the event but have refrained from disclosing further details at this time.
Top-tier Apex Legends players, including Genburten and ImperialHal, showcased instances of cheating in their gameplay clips. Genburten encountered a “wallhack,” granting visibility into the locations of other players, while ImperialHal faced an aimbot, an automated targeting system for opponents. Such cheats are strictly prohibited in major esports tournaments, with their usage often resulting in bans.
Following the discovery of the cheats, both players swiftly notified others of the breach and were encouraged to exit the game. The incident has raised significant questions regarding the security measures surrounding competitive gaming events.
The Anti-Cheat Police Department, a volunteer group dedicated to combating cheating in online games, indicated that hackers may have exploited a vulnerability to gain access to players’ machines. This vulnerability, identified as a remote code execution (RCE), poses uncertainties about its origin, whether it stems from the game itself or specialized anti-cheating software.
Amidst escalating concerns over the integrity of competitive gaming, a warning has been issued by the Anti-Cheat Police Department urging players to refrain from participating in games protected by Easy Anti-Cheat (EAC) or any Electronic Arts (EA) titles until security issues are addressed.
The cautionary advisory follows revelations of hacking during the Apex Legends Global Series tournament, prompting fears of potential vulnerabilities in gaming systems. The group’s recommendation extends to participants of the tournament, advising them to enhance their security measures by changing passwords on Discord and enabling two-factor authentication on other accounts.
Although players have expressed apprehension regarding the safety of their own devices, there has been no official confirmation regarding the extent of the risk. However, the makers of Easy Anti-Cheat (EAC) have conducted an investigation into the reported issues and have assured the gaming community that there is currently no evidence of a remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability within their software.
Apex Legends, a free-to-play battle royale shooter developed by Respawn Entertainment, has garnered immense popularity since its launch as a competitor to Fortnite. Celebrating its fifth anniversary recently, the game has captivated players worldwide with its immersive gameplay and evolving universe.
Owned by Electronic Arts (EA), Respawn Entertainment has been in the spotlight recently following the cancellation of a Star Wars-themed first-person shooter project. Despite this setback, Apex Legends continues to thrive as a cornerstone of the gaming industry, highlighting the importance of robust security measures to preserve the integrity of competitive gaming experiences.
Sofia is an investigative esports journalist with years of experience covering major international tournaments from the press box. She delivers not just the scores, but the stories behind the players, teams, and strategic shifts in the meta. Her analysis helps readers appreciate the human drama and tactical depth of professional gaming.