Cheating in China: The Scale, Consequences, and Legal Measures

Cheating in online games has become a global concern, and China stands out as a hotspot for this issue. Popular titles like Counter-Strike 2, PUBG, and League of Legends have seen a disproportionate number of cheaters from the country. Despite strict regulations, mandatory account verification, and government oversight, the problem remains persistent. Here’s a closer look at the phenomenon, its consequences, and how China addresses it.

The Scope of the Problem

• Sheer Volume of Offenders

In 2018, IGN reported that 99% of global bans in PUBG targeted Chinese players, with the country accounting for 46% of the game’s total player base. Similarly, Riot Games shared that out of 7 million banned League of Legends accounts that year, 5 million were from China.

• Low Cost of Cheats

Cheat software for games like Counter-Strike 2 is incredibly cheap, with daily subscriptions starting at just $0.50. This affordability lowers the barrier to entry, making cheats widely accessible to players, including younger audiences.

• Ease of Circumvention

Even with account verification tied to real IDs, players exploit loopholes such as using fake credentials or playing in internet cafes to avoid being traced.

Consequences for Cheaters

While individual players using cheats aren’t typically subject to legal action, they face other penalties:

• Social Credit System Impacts

• Tencent, one of China’s largest gaming companies, incorporates a social credit system within its games. Players with poor behavior, including cheating in China, can be penalized with restricted matchmaking, fewer in-game rewards, and a reduced reputation. It’s rumored that this gaming-based credit score might feed into the broader national social credit system.

• Account Penalties

• Accounts caught using cheats are permanently banned, leading to the loss of progress, in-game purchases, and access to linked services.

The most severe consequences, however, are reserved for the creators and distributors of cheat software.

Legal Actions Against Cheat Developers

Cheating software falls under China’s laws governing illegal activities involving computer systems. Significant cases highlight the country's crackdown on cheat developers:

The “Chicken Drumstick” Case (2021) A collaboration between Tencent and law enforcement dismantled a group selling cheats for Overwatch and Call of Duty.

• The group’s earnings exceeded $76 million.

• Authorities seized luxury cars, including Ferraris, Lamborghinis, and Rolls-Royces.

• Sentences ranged from 1.5 to 4 years in prison.

Mihoyo’s Efforts (2022) The developers of Genshin Impact partnered with police to arrest a cheat development ring. The group’s leader received a 4-year prison sentence, while others faced up to 3 years.

Bluehole’s Success (2018) The creators of PUBG worked with Chinese authorities to shut down 15 cheat developers, resulting in $5.1 million in fines.

Challenges in Combating Cheats in China

• Decentralized Distribution

Unlike in the West, where cheats are often sold directly by developers, China’s market relies on a network of small-scale resellers who earn a commission on sales. This makes it harder to trace the original creators.

• Internet Cafes

Public gaming facilities allow players to use shared computers, complicating efforts to identify individual offenders.

• VPN Usage

Despite localized versions of games like CS:GO, many Chinese players use VPNs to access international servers, bypassing regional restrictions.

Impact on Esports

The prevalence of China cheaters has disrupted even high-profile esports events. During the Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024, the IP address of a tournament server was accidentally leaked, leading to an immediate influx of cheaters. Professional players, including S1mple and Apex, voiced their frustration:

• S1mple threatened a cheater mid-match, saying, “Bot, you’re cheating? I’ll get you banned.”

• Apex warned another player about losing points in China’s social credit system.

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A Global Challenge

While China is often highlighted due to the sheer scale of its gaming population and the number of cheaters, the issue is not confined to one country. However, China’s unique gaming landscape—characterized by its affordability of cheats, complex distribution networks, and the intertwining of gaming behavior with the social credit system—makes it a focal point for both the problem and the solutions being implemented.

Cheating in online games undermines the integrity of competitive gaming and casual play alike. With continued collaboration between developers, governments, and law enforcement, there’s hope that even the most challenging environments can see progress in curbing this issue.