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PUBG's Anti-Cheat War: Fighting Cheats 'Outside the Game'

Last Updated: October 26, 2025

PUBG Battlegrounds anti-cheat system targeting cheat developers.

PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS fundamentally evolved its war on cheating by shifting its focus to the world "outside the game." This strategic pivot, first detailed in a landmark developer letter, marked a departure from relying solely on in-game detection. Instead, KRAFTON initiated an aggressive, multi-faceted campaign to dismantle the very ecosystem that creates and distributes illicit software, a strategy that continues to be refined and has shown measurable success in cleaning up the battlegrounds.

This expanded approach acknowledged a hard-learned truth in the online gaming world: the fight for fair play cannot be won by a defensive, client-side anti-cheat alone. By targeting the source of the problem—the developers and sellers of cheats—PUBG Studios aimed to disrupt the cheating supply chain. This signaled a long-term commitment to protecting the game's competitive integrity, an effort that has since become a core tenet of the game's ongoing development and security operations.

PUBG's Enduring Battle for a Fair Fight

The struggle against cheaters has been a constant for PUBG since its meteoric rise. As a pioneer of the genre, the game's massive popularity made it a prime target for a wide array of illicit software, from simple aimbots and wallhacks to sophisticated exploits that threatened the experience for millions of players. For years, KRAFTON implemented reactive measures, including regular updates to its in-house anti-cheat solutions, hardware bans, and refined detection algorithms.

However, the relentless cat-and-mouse game with cheat developers, who constantly adapt and find new vulnerabilities, made it clear that a purely in-game approach was not enough. Community frustration often ran high, as the prevalence of cheaters could sour both casual matches and high-stakes competitive play. The "outside the game" initiative was a direct response to this reality, acknowledging that a more comprehensive and proactive strategy was essential for the game's long-term health.

The Strategy in Action: What 'Outside the Game' Truly Means

The phrase "Fighting Cheats Outside the Game" has translated into a robust, multi-pronged offensive that has been actively deployed and enhanced over the years. This strategy includes several key pillars:

  • Aggressive Legal Action: A cornerstone of the external strategy involves pursuing direct legal action against the creators and distributors of cheating software. KRAFTON has successfully filed lawsuits and collaborated with international law enforcement to arrest individuals and shut down entire organizations that profit from undermining the game. This targets the financial incentive and creates a significant deterrent.
  • Advanced Data Analysis and Machine Learning: Beyond simply detecting cheat programs, the anti-cheat team leverages immense amounts of player data. Sophisticated machine learning models, like the proprietary system known as "Zakynthos," analyze gameplay statistics, movement patterns, and behavioral data to identify suspicious activity that deviates from human norms, often catching cheaters before their software is even recognized by traditional methods.
  • Persistent Hardware & System Bans: Making it difficult for offenders to return is critical. The "outside the game" philosophy has led to more sophisticated and persistent hardware identification and banning systems. This ensures that simply creating a new account is not enough for a cheater to get back into the game, thereby increasing the cost and effort required to continue cheating.
  • Collaboration and Intelligence Sharing: KRAFTON actively works with platform holders like Steam, other game developers, and cybersecurity firms to create a unified front. Sharing intelligence on new cheat methods, vulnerabilities, and bad actors helps fortify not just PUBG, but the entire gaming industry against these threats.

The Measurable Impact on Fair Play and Community Trust

This aggressive, holistic stance has yielded tangible results. While no online game can ever be completely free of cheaters, KRAFTON's strategy has directly led to a healthier play environment. In its 2024 Anti-Cheat review, the development team confirmed that their enhanced initiatives resulted in a measurable downward trend in cheater metrics throughout 2023, a positive trend that has continued.

A more effective anti-cheat system directly translates to a fairer experience where skill and strategy are rewarded. This has helped restore community trust, reinvigorate competitive ladders, and ensure that the core gameplay loop remains compelling. For a title where a single bullet can determine the outcome of a 30-minute match, reducing the influence of illicit software is paramount to player satisfaction and retention.

The Evolving Frontline of Anti-Cheat

The "outside the game" approach is no longer a new initiative but the foundational philosophy of PUBG's security efforts. It represents a mature understanding that the battle is a perpetual, evolving campaign, not a single problem to be solved. As detailed in the game's annual roadmaps, KRAFTON continues to persist with, refine, and strengthen its anti-cheat systems, charting new directions to stay ahead of malicious actors. This proactive, comprehensive war on cheating sets a clear standard for the industry, demonstrating that the fight for fair play must extend far beyond the code of the game itself and into the real world where these threats originate.