adminThe gaming cheating industry may be worth as much as $8.5 billion when related services are included, according to data cited by Activision’s Team Ricochet. A survey of developers also suggests that cheating is a serious concern for many online multiplayer studios, with reported effects on player retention and revenue.
Image credit: Activision
Gaming cheating industry estimates and enforcement efforts
Threat intelligence platform Intorqa estimated that cheat developers generate about $3.5 billion each year across 15 games it analyzed. When services such as account sales and spoofing are added, the estimated total rises to $8.5 billion. These figures are estimates, and the larger amount includes activities beyond the direct sale of game cheats.
Activision says Team Ricochet has disrupted more than 375 reseller operations, sent over 80 cease-and-desist demands, and helped close 31 major cheat vendors. In the previous month, it also issued more than 70,000 hardware bans. For players, enforcement figures offer a useful indication of ongoing activity, but they do not by themselves show how much cheating remains in any particular game.
Why multiplayer studios see cheating as a major issue
Anti-cheat provider Anybrain referenced Intorqa’s figures in its whitepaper, The Rise of Cheating As A Service. Anybrain CEO and co-founder André Pimenta Ribeiro described cheating as a commercial service that continues to adapt. He noted that current methods can involve generative AI, real-time problem-solving tools, concealed hardware, and digital identity spoofing.
Because cheating methods can change in response to security measures, Ribeiro argued that studios should not expect one tool to solve every problem. Combining technical safeguards and reviewing how they work together may be more practical than relying on a single product. Solutions should also be assessed for their effects on performance, game design, and the player experience.
Survey findings on anti-cheat measures
Atomik Research surveyed 250 developers in the US and UK who had launched competitive online multiplayer games. The research was commissioned by Anybrain. In the survey, 69% of studios described cheating as a significant or very significant problem, while more than half reported measurable declines in player retention or revenue loss.
The findings also point to varying levels of investment:
- 76% of respondents said they had implemented anti-cheat measures, with most using more than one solution.
- 24% had not put anti-cheat measures in place.
- Among those without a solution, 25% said they had not found one that worked. Concerns about community response and the view that cheating was not a problem were each cited by 22%.
- Within this group, 69% had never implemented anti-cheat, while 31% had removed a previous system because of performance problems, conflicts with game design, or limited effectiveness.
What the findings mean for game teams
The survey reported that 93% of respondents had a dedicated anti-cheat team, and 88% planned to increase spending in the following 12 months. Among developers working on implementation, 47% said they had received a dedicated budget.
Cheating can weaken player confidence and encourage people to leave for games they consider fairer, potentially affecting a title’s lifetime value. For studios, the practical takeaway is to evaluate anti-cheat measures against clear goals, monitor player reports and technical performance, and revisit the approach as threats change. The gaming cheating industry figures highlight the scale of the challenge, while the survey suggests that sustained, layered security is a priority for many multiplayer developers.
