Riot Games hardware ban affects user with used CPU

hardware ban anti-cheat Vanguard used PC components AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D

A German gamer reported being banned from the game Valorant immediately after installing a used AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D processor. The player discovered that the CPU's unique identifier had been blacklisted by Riot Games' Vanguard anti-cheat system because the previous owner had been caught cheating.

While the player claimed the ban also affected other components like the motherboard and hard drive, Phillip Koskinas, Riot's anti-cheat lead, disputed this. Koskinas stated that hardware bans are game-specific and do not “infect” or add other unrelated components to a denylist when a single banned part is installed in a new system.

Koskinas also clarified that Riot's hardware bans have a maximum duration of four months and that support is required to inform users of the remaining ban time. The incident highlights the potential risks for consumers purchasing second-hand PC hardware for competitive gaming.

Entities

AMD · Phillip Koskinas · Riot Games · Ryzen 7 5800X3D · VALORANT · Vanguard

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[○ 1 SOURCE] The hardware ban affects multiple Riot Games titles, including League of Legends, Teamfight Tactics, Legends of Runeterra, and 2XKO. www.blocktempo.com
[● 2 SOURCES] A German gamer's second-hand AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D processor was blacklisted by Riot Games' Vanguard anti-cheat system. www.blocktempo.com · www.bild.de
[○ 1 SOURCE] The hardware ban was triggered because the previous owner of the CPU was caught cheating in Valorant on August 12. www.blocktempo.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] The hardware ban extended to the user's motherboard and hard drive after installing the blacklisted CPU. www.blocktempo.com