In the weeks following Titanfall’s launch (a successful one according to our Titanfall review), Respawn didn’t ban cheats – they simply frowned and made a note. Even now the game’s anti-cheat systems have been activated, nobody’s been permanently kicked from the game. Instead, the worst offenders have been booted to a purgatory for liars and frauds.
“You can play with other banned players in something that will resemble the Wimbledon of aimbot contests,” write Respawn. “Hopefully the aimbot cheat you paid for really is the best, or these all-cheater matches could be frustrating for you. Good luck.”
Respawn have collected data using anti-cheat software FairFight since Titanfall’s launch – and on Friday, March 21 began sending cheaters to their exclusive lobby.
“Great news,” they write. “You get to keep playing Titanfall! Less-great news: you only get to play with other cheaters.”
Banned players can continue to play with no-cheater friends – but they’ll temporarily drag everybody else in their party down into the depths with them.
“If you are a non-cheater and you invite a cheater friend into a party, you will be stuck playing against cheaters,” explain Respawn. “If you stop inviting your cheater friend, you will once again get to play with the non-cheater population.
“You do not get permanently tainted just by playing with a cheater – you are only banned for cheating if you are actually cheating.”
Respawn will continue to tweak their anti-cheat algorithm over time to widen the net – and encourage players who think they’ve been banned unfairly to email [email protected].
Have you noticed aimbots at work in Titanfall to date? Unless running down pilots in your titan counts as foul play, I’d say my games have been altogether clean.
Thanks, Eurogamer.