Early Bans Hit Valorant Players Using Mouse and Keyboard on Console

Players are already getting banned from the Valorant closed console beta for using a mouse and keyboard. Riot Games, the company behind Valorant, made sure to only support controllers for this beta. So, anyone caught using a mouse and keyboard with an adapter is getting banned because of Riot's strong anti-cheat software.

A video shared on X (formerly Twitter) by a user named Anti-Cheat Police Department showed a Valorant match on console suddenly end. A red screen appeared, saying a cheater had been detected, and the game was canceled, with the cheater banned. Marcus Reid, the tech lead for Valorant, confirmed in a Reddit comment that the game’s anti-cheat system can spot anyone using a XIM device or similar gadget and will ban them.

A XIM is an adapter that lets you plug a mouse and keyboard into your console, making it work like a controller. This lets players use a mouse and keyboard in matches that are supposed to be for controllers only. It also gives them an edge because the game’s aim assist works with the mouse and keyboard, just like it would with a controller. This has led many players to use these devices in controller-only lobbies to cheat in competitive games on consoles.

Phillip Koskinas, who heads the anti-cheat team at Riot Games, shared the video on X with the caption, "a satisfied first customer." Even though the Valorant console beta has only been running for less than a week, it looks like the anti-cheat system is already doing its job. The Valorant console beta is still happening, and you can still sign up on Valorant’s official website for a chance to play.