Riot issues VALORANT ban wave on accounts violating Terms of Service to counter smurfs

Riot Games recently initiated a ban wave in VALORANT to help prevent smurfs from impacting the game’s competitive queue. 

Smurfing is a considerable problem in almost any competitive multiplayer game. Some players create a second account to play lower-leveled opponents for an easy experience, while others use the account to play with their lower-ranked friends. But this typically ruins the competitive experience for the other team since the smurf is typically better than them. 

To help prevent smurfs from ruining the competitive experience, Riot recently issued a ban wave to remove compromised accounts or accounts that violated the company’s Terms of Service. While smurfing isn’t explicitly listed in the Terms of Service, other related behavior is covered. 

For example, some smurfs will boost other players to higher ranks by performing well. This gives undeserving players an easy way to climb the ranks and disrupts the competitive integrity for everyone else. Boosting or using another person’s account to help you rank up is against the Terms of Service and is a bannable offense. 

Other behavior like trolling, harassment, or flaming other players is also against the Terms of Service and toxic players can be banned. While most players have nothing to worry about, reading the Terms of Service is still a nice reminder of how you should play VALORANT and treat other players. 

Riot didn’t reveal how many players it banned or when the ban wave was issued, but players can take comfort in knowing at least some smurfs were removed from the game.

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