Redditors Suggest Adding SMS Verification to Solve Smurfing Problem in VALORANT
VALORANT has long struggled with the issue of smurfing, where players create alternative accounts to purposely disrupt competitive gameplay. Riot Games, the developer of VALORANT, has implemented various measures in the past to combat this problem, such as adjusting gains and losses for 5-stack teams and requiring new accounts to reach level 20 before playing competitive. However, smurfing continues to be a significant issue in the game.
Proposed Solution: SMS Verification
In an effort to address the smurfing problem, Redditors have come up with a new suggestion for Riot Games: adding SMS verification to player accounts. This process would require players to link a phone number to their account and verify it as their own before participating in competitive matches. While some players pointed out that burner numbers could be easily purchased and used for multiple accounts, certain services can identify and restrict the use of such numbers, thus reducing their availability.
Learning from League of Legends and Future Plans for VALORANT
Riot Games already employs SMS verification in their game League of Legends to participate in Clash tournaments, preventing players from using lower-ranked accounts with their friends. The same strategy could be applied to VALORANT to discourage players from creating or purchasing multiple accounts and disrupting ranked matches. Additionally, Riot Games has hinted at a Clash-like game mode coming to VALORANT in the future, where SMS verification may also play a crucial role.