Respawn just dropped a major anti-cheat update for Apex Legends, and there’s a lot of good news for Players tired of cheaters ruining Ranked and pubs. The studio reports a significant drop in match infection rates, thanks to a combination of tougher bans, smarter detection systems, and new backend tools—plus more transparency about how they’re fighting the fight behind the scenes.
📉 Infection Rate Down Over 30% Since Season 22
Let’s talk numbers. According to Respawn, Match Infection Rate—the percentage of Ranked matches that include at least one cheater—has dropped more than 30% from its peak in Season 22 (August 2024). That’s a huge win in the ongoing war against cheaters.
They’re also tracking Multi-Reported Users—players who have been reported 3 or more times in a 28-day period—and that number has also dipped significantly, showing an overall improvement in match integrity.
🔍 Understanding the Metrics
Respawn included some key definitions to give more context:
- Match Infection Rate: % of matches with at least one player reported 3+ times and banned within the past 14 days. Keep in mind, battle royale matches have more players than most online games (60 vs 10 or 12), so infection rate naturally appears higher.
- Reports Per User: The average number of times a user reported 3+ times has been flagged over the past 28 days, divided by total active players. This helps track problematic accounts, even if no ban occurred yet.
It’s worth noting: 3+ reports are not required to trigger a ban, but they are a strong signal for disruptive behavior.
🚫 What’s Causing the Decline in Cheaters?
The infection rate improvements aren’t random. Respawn attributes the success to:
- Ban on Linux Devices (Season 23): This surprisingly effective move caused a steep decline in cheat use at the start of that season and has helped maintain lower infection rates.
- Enhanced Tooling and Auto-Detection: New detection methods and faster bans are preventing cheaters from getting more than a handful of games in before they’re kicked.
Respawn is also experimenting with behavioral detection models—targeting things like anti-recoil macros and Movement abnormalities. These systems aim to catch cheaters based not just on software, but how they play.
🔒 Ongoing Progress and Future Plans
While the improvements are great, Respawn isn’t slowing down. They acknowledge the infection rate doesn’t show the full picture, and they continue to factor in:
- Player sentiment
- Detection system bans
- Community reporting trends
More updates are expected in the near future, with the studio promising regular transparency as they iterate on their systems.
So if you’ve noticed fewer suspicious players in your lobbies lately—it’s not just your imagination. Apex Legends’ anti-cheat systems are making a real impact.
For more Apex Legends news, updates, and tier lists, visit ALegends.gg
Source: Respawn
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Match Infection Rate?
It’s the percentage of matches where a player was reported 3+ times and banned for cheating within 14 days. It helps measure how often cheaters show up in games.
Has cheating in Apex actually gone down?
Yes. Respawn reports a 30%+ drop in infected matches since Season 22, thanks to new detection tools, Linux bans, and faster response systems.
Do players have to be reported 3 times to get banned?
Nope. While 3+ reports is a strong signal, bans can happen based on detection systems alone.
Is this update just for Ranked?
While Ranked matches are the focus for this metric, the anti-cheat systems are active across all modes.
What’s next in Respawn’s anti-cheat plan?
More behavioral detections (like anti-recoil), new tooling, and ongoing transparency updates are on the way. Stay tuned for future announcements.
