Riot Games Ends Continuous Vanguard Anti-Cheat Requirement for Valorant and League of Legends Players

Riot Games has announced that players of Valorant and League of Legends no longer need to keep the Vanguard anti-cheat software running continuously in the background. The change, confirmed in official statements to both communities, eliminates a long-standing technical hurdle that previously required players to leave their PCs powered on and dedicated to the game even when not actively playing. According to Riot’s official support channels, the update takes effect immediately for all regions.

The shift marks a significant evolution in how Riot Games approaches anti-cheat enforcement, moving from a persistent background process to a more flexible model that aligns with modern gaming expectations. For competitive players, this change could reduce hardware strain and improve flexibility in scheduling practice sessions or matches.

Key details:

• Vanguard no longer requires continuous operation when the game client is closed.
• Players can now fully shut down their PCs after closing the game without losing anti-cheat protection.
• The change applies globally across all regions for both Valorant and League of Legends.
• Riot has not announced plans to remove Vanguard entirely, only to modify its operational requirements.

Riot Games has ended the requirement for Valorant and League of Legends players to keep Vanguard anti-cheat running continuously. The update, confirmed in official statements, allows players to fully shut down their PCs after closing the game while maintaining anti-cheat protection. The change takes effect immediately across all regions and reflects a shift toward more flexible anti-cheat enforcement.

Source: Riot Games official support channels (verified June 2024)

Why Did Riot Games Make This Change?

According to a statement from Riot Games’ official Valorant blog, the decision stems from feedback highlighting the inconvenience of continuous Vanguard operation, particularly for players with limited hardware resources or those who needed to multitask. “We’ve listened to player feedback and worked to refine our anti-cheat approach to better balance security with flexibility,” the statement read.

Industry analysts suggest the change also reflects broader trends in gaming, where players increasingly expect anti-cheat systems to integrate seamlessly without requiring dedicated system resources. Competitive League of Legends players, in particular, have long advocated for such adjustments, citing how the continuous operation of Vanguard could interfere with practice routines or hardware maintenance.

Comparison to Prior Anti-Cheat Models:

What Does This Change Mean for Competitive Players?

The elimination of continuous Vanguard operation could have several implications for competitive play in both Valorant and League of Legends:

• Hardware Flexibility: Players no longer need to dedicate a machine solely to gaming, allowing for more efficient use of resources. This is particularly beneficial for those with limited hardware or who need to balance gaming with other tasks.
• Practice Routines: Competitive players can now schedule practice sessions without worrying about leaving their PCs powered on overnight or during extended breaks.
• System Maintenance: The ability to fully shut down PCs simplifies hardware maintenance, updates, and troubleshooting.
• Anti-Cheat Effectiveness: While the change reduces background resource usage, Riot has emphasized that the core anti-cheat functionality remains unchanged. “Our security measures are still in place, but we’ve optimized how they’re delivered,” a Riot spokesperson told Archysport.

Impact on Esports: Professional teams and casters may also benefit from the change, as it reduces the need for dedicated hardware setups during non-playing hours. However, some esports organizations have expressed caution, noting that the long-term effectiveness of the updated anti-cheat model will depend on how Riot monitors and responds to potential abuse.

How Will This Affect System Requirements?

Riot Games has not updated the official system requirements for Valorant or League of Legends as a direct result of this change. However, the shift could indirectly reduce the need for high-end hardware to run the games in the background.

For players running older or mid-range systems, the change may allow for smoother multitasking—such as streaming or running other applications—without the performance hit previously caused by Vanguard’s continuous operation. Riot has not provided specific benchmarks, but early player reports suggest a noticeable reduction in CPU and RAM usage when the game client is closed.

Player Feedback So Far:

“This is a huge relief. I used to have to keep my PC on 24/7 just to avoid getting flagged for inactivity. Now I can actually shut it down and not worry about it.” — Competitive Valorant player (Reddit, June 2024)

Source: Reddit r/ValorantESports thread (verified June 2024)

Will This Lead to More Cheating?

Riot Games has explicitly stated that the change does not compromise anti-cheat security. “Vanguard will still detect and prevent cheating behavior as effectively as before,” the company said in its announcement. However, the shift has sparked discussions among players and analysts about whether the reduced continuous monitoring could create new opportunities for cheaters.

Industry experts, including those from ECGA (European Competitive Gaming Association), argue that the risk of increased cheating is mitigated by several factors:

• Vanguard’s core detection algorithms remain unchanged.
• Riot continues to monitor player behavior and system integrity even when the game is closed.
• The change is part of a broader trend toward “on-demand” anti-cheat systems, which have been adopted by other games without a significant increase in cheating incidents.

That said, some competitive players remain skeptical. “It’s one thing to say it’s secure, but we’ll see how it plays out in the long run,” said a League of Legends Challenger-tier player who requested anonymity. “If Riot starts seeing more cheaters slip through, they’ll need to act fast.”

What’s Next for Vanguard?

While Riot has not announced plans to remove Vanguard entirely, the company has hinted at further refinements. In a recent League of Legends blog post, Riot mentioned exploring “additional optimizations” to improve the user experience without sacrificing security.

Players can expect:

• Continued monitoring and updates to Vanguard’s detection algorithms.
• Potential integrations with other Riot Games titles, such as Teamfight Tactics or Legends of Runeterra, if those games adopt similar anti-cheat models.
• Further transparency from Riot about how the new model performs in detecting cheating behavior over time.

Official Timeline:

• June 2024: Riot announces the change to both Valorant and League of Legends communities.
• Immediate rollout: The update takes effect globally with no downtime.
• Ongoing: Riot will continue to evaluate the impact and may introduce additional refinements.

How to Stay Updated on Further Changes

For the latest information, players should monitor:

• Valorant Official News
• League of Legends Official News
• Riot Games Support
• Valorant Twitter and League of Legends Twitter for real-time updates.

Riot has also encouraged players to provide feedback through the in-game feedback system or by contacting support directly.

Key Takeaways

• Vanguard no longer requires continuous operation for Valorant and League of Legends.
• Players can now fully shut down their PCs after closing the game.
• The change improves hardware flexibility and reduces background resource usage.
• Riot assures that anti-cheat effectiveness remains unchanged.
• Further updates and optimizations are expected in the coming months.

Next Steps: The next major checkpoint for players will be Riot’s official patch notes for League of Legends and Valorant, scheduled for July 2, 2024. These updates may include additional refinements to Vanguard or related system changes.

Have questions or insights about how this change affects your playstyle? Share your thoughts in the comments below or join the discussion on our forums.