Valorant HWID Ban Hits Second-Hand CPU Buyer
Purchasing a used processor resulted in an unexpected and highly unpleasant surprise for a German gamer. Following the installation of a Ryzen 7 5800X3D, the Riot Vanguard anti-cheat system persistently blocked the computer from accessing Valorant. However, the game had functioned flawlessly with the previous processor. Consequently, the buyer claims this issue stems from a hardware ban incurred by the previous owner due to cheating.
The Reddit Revelation and Support Response
The frustrated gamer detailed this predicament in a recent Reddit post. According to his account, he acquired the Ryzen 7 5800X3D through the German classifieds platform Kleinanzeigen. The processor itself operated perfectly, devoid of any hardware malfunctions. The complications exclusively arose during attempts to launch Valorant.
According to the buyer, Riot Support informed him that this specific processor identifier was added to their hardware ban list on August 12. The new owner, who purchased the chip on September 21, vehemently denies any involvement in cheating. Furthermore, the player asserted that booting the system with the banned CPU subsequently corrupted his motherboard and storage drive with similar restrictions. Currently, there is no independent, public verification of this correspondence with Riot Support.
Riot’s Stance on Hardware Bans
Riot definitively employs hardware bans to combat cheating. The company’s official documentation explicitly states that error code VAN 152 signifies a HWID ban on a specific device. Neither reinstalling Vanguard nor the game itself resolves this issue. Furthermore, restarting the computer or changing internet connections fails to lift the restriction. Riot also confirms that Vanguard detects not merely cheating software, but also the specific hardware utilized to gain an unfair advantage.
A Complicated Narrative
Nevertheless, the narrative surrounding this Ryzen processor proved more complex than initial reports suggested. Phillip Koskinas, the Head of Anti-Cheat at Riot, reported his inability to locate the referenced support ticket. He characterized the described situation as highly improbable. According to Koskinas, Riot’s hardware bans endure for a maximum of four months and strictly apply only to the specific game where the cheating occurred. Furthermore, he clarified that Vanguard does not automatically flag the entire system’s hardware upon detecting a single banned component.
The Risks of the Second-Hand Market
This mechanism inherently renders the secondary market for computer components potentially hazardous for gamers. Riot currently offers no public service allowing buyers to verify whether a processor, motherboard, or other component carries an active HWID ban prior to purchase. Standard performance benchmarks similarly fail to reveal this hidden status. Therefore, while this specific incident with the Ryzen 7 5800X3D cannot yet be deemed proof of a systemic crisis, it effectively illuminates a significant side effect of hardware bans. This mechanism is entirely capable of impacting innocent individuals who legally purchase used hardware.
