VALORANT’s Premier Mode Deters Cheaters and Smurfs
VALORANT’s Premier mode is gaining popularity among ranked players due to its effectiveness in deterring cheaters and smurfs in standard competitive play. To access Premier, players must meet specific requirements.
In order to participate in Premier, players must have a VALORANT account in good standing and have completed ranked placements at least once. Additionally, players are required to verify their accounts through SMS verification.
The Significance of SMS Verification
The purpose of SMS verification is to link an account to a single telephone number, preventing cheaters from creating new accounts after being caught. It also serves as a deterrent for players attempting to create multiple smurf accounts. While SMS verification does not completely eradicate these problems, it discourages individuals who are unwilling to put in extra effort to cheat or smurf.
Player Demand for Verified Accounts in Competitive Play
VALORANT players expressed the desire for verified accounts to be implemented in standard competitive play or for Riot to create a separate ranked queue exclusively for verified players, similar to CS:GO’s system. CS:GO players can verify their accounts through SMS verification to access Prime ranked matches.
However, Riot is unlikely to adopt this approach. Unlike CS:GO, VALORANT heavily relies on content creators, many of whom openly use smurf accounts to play with other streamers or viewers. With Premier being a significant aspect of VALORANT, Riot may prioritize keeping smurfs out of Premier while avoiding potential deterrence for players in regular competitive gameplay.
VALORANT, Premier mode, cheaters, smurfs, ranked players, SMS verification, competitive play, content creators, CS:GO