Ranked Exploits Result in Over 900 Bans Following Anti-Cheat Investigation

The developers behind the tactical shooter have taken swift action against a group of players abusing a system exploit that compromised the integrity of Ranked matchmaking. As detailed in an update from the Anti-Cheat team on November 4, 2026, a vulnerability allowed users to enter Ranked matches at the Rookie IV level, regardless of their actual skill tier. This breach bypassed standard Ranked entry costs and allowed players to farm Rookie-tier kill bonuses while funneling illegitimate Rank Points (RP) into their accounts.

The Impact of the Exploit

According to the official report, the exploit was most prevalent on PlayStation 5 consoles, though it affected multiple platforms. By entering matches as a Rookie IV, players were able to register an MMR of zero, which provided an unintended, lopsided competitive advantage. The developers confirmed that the system was being used to artificially inflate Ranked scores, causing a significant distortion in competitive progression. The studio has confirmed the removal of 15,112,554 illegitimate RP from the game’s ecosystem.

Enforcement and Account Actions

Following an investigation into the abuse, the studio has issued bans to 906 accounts. The duration of these suspensions was scaled based on the severity of the RP inflation:

• 731 accounts received 120-day bans for gaining approximately 4,999 RP.
• 107 accounts were banned for 240 days for gaining between 5,000 and 9,999 RP.
• 67 accounts were hit with 365-day bans for accumulating over 10,000 RP.

While the majority of bans were issued to PlayStation users (848 accounts), small numbers of players on PC (12), Xbox (44), and Nintendo Switch 2 (2) were also penalized. The team noted that they specifically filtered out players who may have stumbled upon the issue unintentionally, ensuring only those who deliberately exploited the system were targeted.

Why it matters

For the average player, this move is a necessary step in cleaning up the Ranked leaderboards. When players use exploits to bypass entry requirements, it ruins the competitive experience for everyone else in the lobby. If you have been feeling like your recent Ranked matches were uncharacteristically unfair or featured players with skill levels that didn’t match their rank, this may have been the culprit.

The developers have confirmed that the root cause of the exploit has been resolved. They are continuing to monitor Ranked activity to prevent similar vulnerabilities in the future. Players should keep an eye on official updates to see if further adjustments to Ranked matchmaking mechanics are implemented to bolster security.