Respawn’s Anti-Cheat Team has issued nearly 6,000 hardware bans across PC and console since the end of April, according to an official Steam update published on July 13, 2026.
Most of those bans affected PC players, but the team said it is increasing its use of hardware bans on consoles. The punishment targets the system itself, which can stop repeat offenders from returning to Apex Legends with a fresh account.
Respawn described hardware bans as one part of its anti-cheat process. The tools are used to identify players who repeatedly evade enforcement, rather than automatically applying the penalty to every account that receives a ban. The studio has also previously represented hardware bans in its public ban-number updates, including a May Reddit post.
Why hardware bans are reserved for severe cheating
The team said hardware bans are its most serious penalty, so it uses them when cheating reaches a high level of severity. That generally means malicious actors and serial cheaters are more likely to receive the punishment.
Respawn also said its approach is not limited to permanent removals. When possible, the team aims to reform players instead of permanently excluding them from the game. Hardware bans are reserved for cases where a less severe response is not enough.
New detection methods and stronger enforcement remain in development as Respawn continues its work against cheating in Apex Legends. The team said fair play remains its priority, with console hardware bans expected to become a larger part of that effort.
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Apex Legends
Developed by Respawn Entertainment
Conquer with character in Apex Legends, a free-to-play Hero shooter where legendary characters with powerful abilities team up to battle for fame & fortune on the fringes of the Frontier.
Master an ever-growing roster of diverse Legends, deep tactical squad play and bold new innovations that go beyond the Battle Royale experience—all within a rugged world where anything goes. Welcome to the next evolution of Hero Shooter.
- Genre: Shooter, Tactical
- Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch 2, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
- Modes: Multiplayer, Co-operative, Battle Royale
- Release: 2019-02-04
- Publisher: Electronic Arts
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Age Rating:
PEGI 16 / CERO D / GRAC 19+ / USK 16 / CLASS_IND 14 / ACB MA 15+ / ESRB T
- IGDB Rating: 75.5/100
