VALORANT developers have boasted that they have cut AFK numbers in half over the past year. Launching its tactical FPS with a sophisticated anti-cheat system, Vanguard, Riot Games has prioritized cheater and AFK busting since VALORANT’s inception.
Though Riot’s AFK system remained the same largely throughout 2020, the new year saw an overhaul in the punishment system. With the improved AFK detection came harder bans, as repeat offenders were cracked down on.
Often a contentious point of semantics, Riot Games defines AFK (Away From Keyboard) as “someone who leaves or otherwise does not participate during an ongoing game.” VALORANT developers state that almost all competitive games face this issue to varying degrees of severity. To combat this issue, Riot has developed a system that detects players that have either disconnected or idled for a prolonged period of time. From internet outages to rage quits, this system has been effective in curbing AFKs.
Still, there are some issues in AFK detection that Riot Games has not covered. Malicious AFKs, or players who only do the bare minimum to be considered ‘active’ in the game without contributing to their team, remains undetectable. Riot Games has not given up hope in finding ways detect and combat these types of AFKers.
Though Riot Games have boasted the decrease in overall AFKs in VALORANT, it has maintained that they intend to keep the punishment system fair and forgiving for rare cases. Though Riot Games have made strides in AFK detection, it is clear that its plans are not over.
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