How do developers fight for fair play? An interview with Astrum Entertainment on anti-cheats and cheaters

Cheating is seen as an evil by the majority of players. Yet, as some gamers claim, reality may be far more complex. We do not aim to persuade either side, but rather suggest listening to what developers have to say. Perhaps their take on cheats and methods of combating them will offer a fresh perspective on the issue.

The attitude towards cheating in games remains complex and contradictory. Most players condemn the use of cheats, especially in online multiplayer games, yet the number of those resorting to them does not decrease. Developers actively fight this issue, banning tens of thousands of accounts caught using prohibited software. Nevertheless, despite all efforts, cheating remains a serious threat.

But what if cheats are not as dangerous as commonly believed? Perhaps instead of striving to eradicate cheating completely, alternative approaches should be considered. Could legalizing cheats provide a different way to control the situation?

We talked with experts from Astrum Entertainment who face cheating-related threats daily and actively combat them. Our interviewees include Viktor Punegov (Head of Security Department), Maksim Burak (Warface Project Lead), and Algis Ryabokon (Senior Technical Producer). We asked them how they perceive cheating and to what extent its use is acceptable in various game modes.

The developers’ answers might surprise you. Their perspective on the problem differs from the usual player viewpoint, as they know all the nuances from the inside.

IXBT Games: From a player’s perspective, cheats are tools that allow one to gain an unfair advantage over other players. What are cheats from a developer’s perspective?

Viktor Punegov: If you look at cheats from a game developer’s perspective, they represent an unintended interference with the game client. This could be modifying the game client files on disk, or reading and altering the memory or network packets of the game client.

Maksim Burak: From a developer’s standpoint, it’s a major headache, especially when it comes to multiplayer games where the core is competitive gameplay. Cheats can be divided into two types:

• those that exploit flaws in the source code. We know how to deal with this type.
• those based on neural network technology. These are harder to detect and neutralize. We constantly discover new methods to fight neural networks, while malicious actors continuously devise new ways to bypass protection.

Thus, it is a never-ending process.

IXBT Games: There is an opinion that cheats are acceptable in single-player games, as there is no competitive aspect, but unacceptable in multiplayer modes. What is your take on this?

Viktor Punegov: As long as a person is playing a game with their computer, using cheats doesn’t bother anyone. The moment a person goes to play a multiplayer game, they start interacting with other players, and using cheats in that case already affects other people.

Algis Ryabokon: Using cheats in multiplayer games negatively impacts other players’ impression of the product, while in single-player games, it changes the impression of the game itself. In single-player games, I am not in favor of using cheats, as you won’t be able to immerse yourself fully in the game’s atmosphere. As for online games, in my view, it is completely unacceptable.

Maksim Burak: It is impossible to claim that cheats are acceptable in principle. 

If we are talking about a single-player game, where a player doesn’t bother anyone and plays through it “for themselves,” then to some extent, it might be acceptable.

On the other hand, by using cheats, the player won’t be able to appreciate the full beauty of the game. I think players usually resort to cheats in a single-player game when they have already completed it and want to get a new experience.

IXBT Games: If cheats are acceptable in single-player games, then from your perspective, how ethical is it for a player to use them, for instance, during a livestream without disclosing the fact that they are using them?

Viktor Punegov: I would say that it is unethical. By starting a stream, the player begins interacting with their viewers. Covertly using cheats during a stream is misleading the audience and cannot be considered ethical.

Algis Ryabokon: If a streamer uses cheats during a broadcast, viewers might get a distorted perception of the game. For example, would a viewer find it interesting to watch a playthrough of their favorite game on maximum difficulty, but with cheats enabled? Personally, absolutely not.

Streamers often serve as role models for their audience. Using cheats can send the wrong signal that doing so is okay.

Maksim Burak: Speaking specifically about streaming, it is unethical to hide the use of cheats because you are deceiving your own audience.

Most games have difficulty settings that allow you to play in the exact mode that feels comfortable: from very easy to hard.

IXBT Games: Many modern games feature co-op mode. Do you think using cheats in such a mode is acceptable?

Viktor Punegov: If it’s about playing on your own dedicated server and all co-op participants are aware of the cheats and still enjoy it, then why not.

If it’s an online multiplayer game, it usually includes character progression elements, virtual currency, player rankings, and other implicit interactions among all players. In that case, co-op mode will affect player progression, making cheat use unacceptable.

Maksim Burak: As soon as we step into cooperative play, it can no longer be compared to single-player. In such games, invested time and perseverance reward the player, so cheats will have the most harmful impact.

Some players believe that using cheats is an expression of freedom of choice, allowing them to enjoy the game on their own terms. By experimenting with gameplay, they gain a fresh experience and variety. However, our interviewees are confident that even in single-player and co-op modes, where direct impact on other players is minimal, cheating can negatively affect both the players themselves and those around them.

Before using cheats, it is worth considering the consequences of such actions. Choosing to cheat can turn into a habit that is hard to break, and its repercussions will affect not only your own gaming experience but also the impressions of other participants.

Unfortunately, mere appeals are not enough. Fighting cheaters requires continuous effort to protect honest players and preserve the integrity of the gameplay experience.

IXBT Games: How is the anti-cheat policy shaped within the Astrum Entertainment team? Does your approach differ from that of other companies?

Algis Ryabokon: Our anti-cheat policy is built on years of experience and an individual approach to our projects. Each game requires its own approach, so we actively analyze game mechanics to pinpoint the most vulnerable spots and build effective anti-cheat tools.

We take a very strict stance against cheaters, and the sanctions we apply usually prevent players from continuing with their favorite character. Regarding approaches, every company certainly has its own unique nuances, but the goal is the same — preventing the use of unauthorized software and enforcing penalties when an offender is detected after logging into the game.

Maksim Burak: The general approach is uniform for everyone: locate => recognize pattern => patch vulnerability => penalize offender.

IXBT Games: How often do cheaters find new ways to bypass your protection system? What methods do they use?

Viktor Punegov: Here it is more accurate to talk about cheat developers rather than cheaters. We call them cheat makers. Cheat makers constantly try to bypass the anti-cheat as long as bans for their cheat continue.

It should be understood that client-side anti-cheat is primarily focused on detecting known cheats. If someone managed to play with a new cheat without getting banned today, that doesn’t mean they will get away with it tomorrow. That cannot be called a protection bypass.

A protection bypass can be defined as finding and exploiting a vulnerability in the anti-cheat in such a way that the anti-cheat fails to detect the cheat, even if its developers are aware of it, requiring anti-cheat modifications. This happens on our end a couple of times a year.

Maksim Burak: The fight against cheaters can be compared to the evolution of weaponry: first a sword is forged, and then a shield is created to defend against it. And usually, sword makers are at the cutting edge of progress, while shield makers have to catch up. In the fight against cheaters, the picture is quite similar.

Many players, even those who have never used cheats, doubt the effectiveness and feasibility of anti-cheat tools. They believe that embedding such software into the client system can cause more harm than good. Anti-cheat operations seem opaque and ineffective, as completely eradicating cheating has not yet been achieved. The arms race between developers and cheaters continues: each new anti-cheat version prompts the creation of even more sophisticated bypasses.

Furthermore, some players are concerned that anti-cheat programs might infringe upon their right to privacy by gathering information on computer activity or analyzing network connections. On low-end systems, such software can significantly impair performance, making gameplay uncomfortable.

Our interviewees shared how grounded these concerns are and explained how deeply anti-cheat solutions actually penetrate player systems.

IXBT Games: What are the pros and cons of different anti-cheat types (server-side, client-side, hybrid)?

Viktor Punegov: In an ideal world, an anti-cheat wouldn’t be needed at all. The game server would validate all player actions for legitimacy, update the game world state, and transmit it to users’ game clients. This is called an authoritative server. Unfortunately, compromises must be made in reality, and some things are simply impossible to verify. For instance, automatic aiming (aimbot) and shooting (triggerbot) are indistinguishable on the game server from legitimate “manual” inputs. That makes using anti-cheat systems necessary.

A client-side anti-cheat runs on the user’s computer — looking for traces of known cheats and trying to make creating a functional cheat harder. Searching for known cheats is carried out in various ways, including memory signature scanning. Among the benefits of client-side anti-cheat is that it does not require deep integration with the game, and detecting a cheat provides sufficient grounds for an account ban. An obvious drawback of such an anti-cheat is that it mostly detects known cheats. Furthermore, by running on the user’s machine, the anti-cheat itself is vulnerable to interference, just like the game client.

A server-side anti-cheat operates on the server — collecting various game data and looking for anomalous deviations in player behavior and performance. It requires deep integration with a specific game and training on data from that game. A significant downside of server-side anti-cheat is the lack of definitive signals for banning an account. On the one hand, the behavior and results of top-tier players can drastically differ from the general player base. On the other hand, a cautious cheater will behave in a way that blends in with the average player. No matter how you look at it, there will be false positives against skilled players and missed detections of cautious cheaters. However, server-side anti-cheat results can be used to flag suspicious players for further monitoring.

A hybrid anti-cheat combines both of these approaches.

Any anti-cheat is an endless game of cat and mouse: cheat developers try to bypass the anti-cheat, while anti-cheat developers try to patch the discovered vulnerabilities. No anti-cheat will ever solve the cheating problem once and for all, but it can alleviate its severity.

IXBT Games: Which type of anti-cheat is most effective in your project?

Viktor Punegov: Astrum Entertainment games utilize a client-side anti-cheat. In some games developed by our internal studios, there are also elements resembling a server-side anti-cheat.

IXBT Games: How much can a local anti-cheat affect game performance, and how deeply does it penetrate the system?

Viktor Punegov: A client-side (local) anti-cheat can affect game performance, usually indirectly. The anti-cheat runs on the user’s computer while playing and shares computer resources with the game. How strong this impact can be depends on the anti-cheat developers. When developing our anti-cheat, we strive to minimize the load on the player’s computer and keep it smooth over time, without sharp spikes. We also take into account the performance of the specific PC.

Almost all client-side anti-cheats contain a kernel-mode driver — meaning they possess maximum privileges in the operating system. Our anti-cheat is no exception. The principle here is quite simple — if a cheat has higher system privileges than the anti-cheat, it will easily hide from it. And a cheater will always grant the cheat maximum privileges on their computer.

IXBT Games: Is it ethical for anti-cheat software to collect user data?

Viktor Punegov: I believe so, provided that this data is purely technical, helps improve the project, is stored for a limited period, and access to it is restricted.

IXBT Games: How difficult is it to balance cheating prevention and maintaining the gaming experience for fair players?

Viktor Punegov: The challenges usually lie in technical solutions. While cheat developers resort to dirty hacks that cause the game and the entire OS to become unstable, leaving security holes, we obviously cannot afford to do that. All technical solutions in an anti-cheat must maintain the stability and security of the operating system without hindering the user’s gameplay. The playing field is inherently uneven from the start.

Maksim Burak: When it comes to a multiplayer product, any encounter with a cheater is an extremely negative experience for a player, which can lead to a severely adverse perception of the product as a whole. And nowadays, it is not only difficult to attract a player to a new product, but also to bring them back if they leave for one reason or another. Cheaters need to be caught and penalized as swiftly as possible so that fair players get the exact gameplay experience intended by the developers.

Many of us have encountered cheaters in games, and hardly anyone enjoyed the experience. Therefore, if data collection by anti-cheat software remains within reasonable bounds and the software itself does not disrupt gameplay, it is perceived as the lesser of two evils compared to the uncontrolled spread of cheats.

To understand how justified such measures are, it is important to grasp the mechanics of cheat detection systems. Our interviewees explained what methods are used to track down dishonest players and how protection against them is structured. They also shared how transparent this system is and why its use is essential for sustaining a healthy gaming environment.

IXBT Games: How do you determine if a player is cheating? What data does your anti-cheat collect for this purpose?

Viktor Punegov: A player is flagged as a cheater when traces of cheat activity are found on their computer. We intentionally do not disclose specific operating methods of the anti-cheat, as any information could be used by cheat makers against us to circumvent protection. Since this is an eternal game of cat and mouse and an invulnerable solution is technically impossible, revealing information in this case would only do harm.

Primarily, the anti-cheat analyzes data and makes decisions locally on the player’s computer. In some cases, data is transmitted to the server under the terms of the user agreement. This information pertains to the game client’s operation and its interactions with other processes in the system. None of this includes sensitive user data. It is stored for a few days and deleted after analysis. Access is restricted to a limited circle of experts.

IXBT Games: What were the most challenging cases of combating cheaters you have had to resolve? What proved to be the most difficult part of that process?

Viktor Punegov: The hardest part is understanding what exactly a cheat does and how it does it if it is distributed in a closed cheat group with restricted access. It is not so much about what the cheat does to the game client — there is rarely anything new in that regard — but about how it hides from the anti-cheat.

Maksim Burak: You can't really call a case simple or hard, because some simple cheats are caught by basic common sense, for example, when a player in a shooter wipes out the entire opposing team in a single second. Any complex cases are tied to gaining access to the cheat software and finding a way to counter it.

IXBT Games: Why do some teams succeed in fighting cheaters while others do frankly poorly?

Viktor Punegov: I think it's a matter of priorities and the effort invested. If you continuously monitor existing cheats, try to patch discovered game vulnerabilities with server-side checks, and cover what fails with an anti-cheat, there will be results.

Far from all teams realize the importance of strict server-side validation of user actions for legitimacy, yet that is the only reliable way.

Maksim Burak: All teams with development experience and sufficient staff develop their own methods for combating cheaters. This is successful in any case because they understand the specifics of their product.

Others prefer to purchase and install an off-the-shelf anti-cheat that will catch the most common cheats sharing universal traits across projects. As soon as something specific emerges, that’s where the problems begin. If the product team and the anti-cheat team are departments of the same company, it is much easier to introduce additional logging and analysis systems into the project to catch patterns of specific cheats.

Technological progress presents developers of anti-cheat software with increasingly complex challenges. Modern software and hardware solutions open up new avenues for creating cheats. A future where games feature competitions not between players, but exclusively between advanced cheats, is hard to imagine, but completely ruling out such a prospect is becoming increasingly difficult.

IXBT Games: Media reports occasionally highlight next-generation cheats, such as hardware devices or AI, which almost entirely control the character. How can one distinguish such cheaters from high-skill players?

Viktor Punegov: Generally speaking, you can't, but in practice there can be options. You can try to detect hardware devices connected to the computer used to control the character. You can gather statistics and try to distinguish the behavior of such a character from typical human behavior. I don't think the cheating problem will ever be solved.

Maksim Burak: This is precisely the most difficult type of cheat to detect, and no one has learned how to counter it 100% yet. And here, new technologies, including AI, come to the rescue, as they allow analyzing not only player shooting in shooters, but also their movement and reaction speed.

There are so-called “cheats” developed by the game creators themselves. One of the earliest examples is the “Konami Code”. While testing the port of the scrolling shooter Gradius to the NES console (known as Dendy in Russia), developer Kazuhisa Hashimoto encountered excessive game difficulty. To ease playthroughs, he added a secret code granting the player full armaments right from the start. Later, this code was repeatedly used in other company projects, though with varying effects. For instance, in the North American version of Contra, it increased the player's life count to 30.

Another well-known example is the IDDQD and IDKFA codes from the original Doom series, which provided invulnerability, as well as access to all weapons and keys.

Today, codes like the “Konami Code” and combinations from Doom are more often encountered in games and applications just for fun. They have also frequently become elements of popular culture.

IXBT Games: In the movie “Free Guy”, the development team uses god mode to deal with an in-game cheater. Do administrators on your projects have such superpowers?

Maksim Burak: Yes, game administrators have various tools to address specific local tasks, including user bans. It's worth noting that all actions are logged and supported by an evidentiary basis. In simple terms: we cannot and will not simply ban a user out of nowhere.

For developers, combating cheaters is always a serious matter. Although, perhaps, exceptions do happen.

IXBT Games: What is the most unusual or amusing way of using cheats you've ever seen?

Algis Ryabokon: There was a case where a Warface player reached out to support complaining about being insulted in the game chat and attached a screenshot. The screenshot clearly showed him playing with cheats.:)

Maksim Burak: A funny example that comes to mind involves cheats for “Age of Empires”, where you could spawn a single unit that would win any battle.

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We thank our interviewees from Astrum Entertainment for answering our questions, as well as the company's press service for their assistance in organizing the interview.

All images in this article were generated using the Midjourney neural network.