Riot Games denies that Vanguard damages PCs

Riot Games has recently pushed back against rumors that its Vanguard anti-cheat software could damage players’ PCs. This follows a number of claims from users who said their devices stopped working after receiving a Vanguard update. Vanguard, which has been integrated into Valorant since 2020, is designed to combat advanced cheats and cheaters, especially hardware-based cheats that can bypass traditional protections.

Updates and issues

On May 19, 2026, a Vanguard update attempted to block DMA (direct memory access) devices that were using SATA or NVMe firmware. The update sparked a wave of concern among users, with some players reporting that their computers froze or that they were incorrectly banned from playing other games.

Riot Games responded to those concerns on May 22, 2026, stating in a tweet that “Vanguard does not damage hardware or disable devices.” The statement came after a joking tweet from the company, which shared an image of devices that had stopped working, with the message “congratulations to the owners of a new $6k paperweight.”

According to Riot, the comment was meant to refer to cheat hardware failing, and not to suggest that the software actually damages users’ PCs. The goal of the update was to enforce standard security features when needed on accounts affected by DMA-based cheats.

What are DMA devices?

DMA devices are a type of hardware that can access system memory directly, which gives them the potential to bypass traditional anti-cheat measures. Because these devices can go beyond normal security protections, developers like Riot Games have viewed them as a problem that needs to be addressed to preserve the integrity of their games.

The May 19, 2026 update attempted to block these devices from accessing system memory. Riot clarified that players who were not cheating should not experience any issues, since the update is aimed solely at cheaters.

Community reactions

Despite Riot’s reassurance, concerns remain within the gaming community. Some non-cheaters have reported technical problems linked to the Vanguard update. Stories are circulating from users who claim they had to reinstall their operating system or were wrongly banned from other games.

One player wrote, for example: “Yeah, I’ve never cheated in my life, but my PC got wrecked by Vanguard...” Another added that they had trouble launching other popular games, which could point to broader compatibility issues tied to the update.

Despite the controversy, Valorant remains a popular choice for gamers worldwide, with strong player numbers and regularly updated content. Riot Games says it will continue improving its anti-cheat software and protecting the integrity of its competitive games.