What is considered cheating?

Generally speaking, all actions, inactions, codes, modifications, etc. that give one player or a group of players an unfair advantage in the game are considered cheating.

These are some of the things that we consider cheating at Embark:

1. Account selling
Account selling is the unauthorized practice of selling game accounts.

2. Account sharing or boosting
Account sharing is allowing others to use one's game account, while boosting involves artificially increasing a player's rank or skill level by playing on their behalf.

3. Aimbots and wallhack
Aimbots are software or scripts that help a player aim at opponents automatically.
Wallhacks are cheats that allow players to see through objects.

4. Camera hacks
Camera hacks modify the in-game camera perspective, giving players an unfair view of their surroundings or opponents.

5. Extra Sensory Perception (ESP)
ESP makes it possible to see the information that wouldn’t be accessible through normal setup of the game.

6. Exploiting bugs and glitches to gain an unfair advantage
Exploiting refers to using known or unknown bugs, glitches, or unintended game mechanics to gain an unfair advantage, including map exploits or unintended item duplications.

7. Farming
Farming involves repetitive actions to accumulate in-game resources, rewards, or currency with the intention of gaining an unfair advantage.

8. Griefing
Griefing involves disruptive behavior, such as intentionally sabotaging teammates, team-killing, or interfering with gameplay for other players.

9. Lag switching
Lag switching is the deliberate manipulation of network connectivity to create lag or disconnect opponents temporarily.

10. Macros
Macros are sequences of automated actions triggered by a single keystroke or button press, potentially providing advantages like rapid firing or complex ability combos.

11. Modded controllers
Modded controllers are hardware modifications that enhance a player's control over their character or weapons.

12. Radar hacks
Radar hacks modify the game's radar or minimap to reveal the positions of other players, objectives, or items.

13. Removal hacks
Removal hacks selectively remove in-game obstacles, textures, or environmental elements.

14. Scripting
Scripting involves using custom scripts or macros to automate gameplay actions.

15. Speed hacks
Speed hacks allow players to move faster than is intended by normal setup of the game.

16. Triggerbots
Triggerbots are programs or scripts that automatically fire a weapon when an opponent comes into the crosshair.

17. Win trading
Win trading is the practice of intentionally losing matches or cooperating with other players to manipulate rankings.

The above list is for illustrative purposes only, and is not exhaustive. As the developer, we reserve the right to ban accounts that engage in unfair play practices, even if the actions performed are not listed above.

Why have I been banned?

We ban accounts that have breached our Code of Conduct, or Terms of Service. If you believe you have been banned unfairly, please reach out to the Support team.

I’ve been banned in Closed Beta (CB) or Open Beta (OB). Will that ban transfer to the release?

All bans from Closed Betas are transferred to Open Beta and to the release. In other words, if an account has been banned during CB or OB, it will remain banned in any other release.

I’ve been banned from THE FINALS. Will I also be banned from all Embark games in the future?

It depends on the cause of your ban. At the moment, it is our policy that specific ban reasons will get the user banned from all of our games. This policy is still a work in progress, and we will communicate on this in more detail in the future. Thank you for your patience.

What is EAC?

EAC (Easy Anti Cheat) is one of the systems that Embark uses to detect and prevent cheating in our games.

Do you only use EAC?

No, we use additional systems besides EAC. However, telling the world what they are would be like giving a burglar a key to our house. Therefore, to ensure we can continue our work of detecting cheaters and providing a great game experience for everyone, we need to keep all the other systems secret. We appreciate your understanding.

I know a much better anti-cheat system! Can I suggest it to you?

If you believe you know a better anti-cheat system, you may reach out to Support to share this information. However, we reserve the right to make all anti-cheat decisions based on internal judgment.

I think someone is cheating! What should I do?

We strongly encourage you to report any suspicious behavior to us through the game. Please refer to the how-to section - Player Report. That way, we can investigate your report more efficiently. However, if that is not possible for some reason, you can reach out to our support department.

I’m gonna reach out to the Support to report a cheater. What do you need to know?

In order to handle your report as quickly and efficiently as possible, we need the following information, if available:

In-game name of the cheater (in the following format: name#number)
What the issue was, specifically. Explain the problem in as much detail as possible;
Any screenshots and recordings you can provide.

This cheat or cheater has been around for a while, but you’re still not doing anything! Why?

If you believe that we have been overlooking or not taking enough action on a specific cheat or a cheater, please reach out to Support. Please provide as much information as possible about your finding, or where you believe it is coming from. Thank you for your cooperation.

This content creator is using cheats! What should I do?

Please reach out to Support. Provide as many details and footage as possible; don’t forget account and video links. Please also let you know a specific point in the video/stream where you saw the cheating occur.

If a cheater has been banned, will they stay on the leaderboard?

No. Cheaters are removed from the leaderboard.

A cheater has been banned from our team in the middle of the run, will we get a replacement?

If a team loses a player who has been banned for cheating, an additional member cannot be added to the team.

The opposing team had a cheater and they won, but then you banned that cheater. Can the victory be overturned or reconsidered?

Unfortunately, at the moment, it’s not possible. However, we are actively working on ways to resolve this, and we appreciate your patience and support.

Are there any penalties for false reports of cheating?

No, there are no penalties for false cheating reports at the moment. However, in order for us to be able to process all reports in time, we strongly recommend you report someone only when there’s reasonable suspicion that they are using cheats.

Is it possible to appeal a ban?

Yes, it is possible to appeal a ban if you believe that you’ve been banned unfairly. Please reach out to Support, and we will do our best to review your case as soon as possible.

Please make sure to include the following information in your report:

Your account name
If the game has provided you with one, then a reason for why your account has been banned.

Someone else I know has been banned. Can I reach out to you on their behalf?

No. We cannot discuss another person’s account with anyone but the person themselves. However, there will be cases where it is impossible for the account holder to reach out to us. If there is a reasonable cause for you as a third party to reach out to us instead of the account holder, please do so.

My account has been hacked. What should I do?

If you believe your account has been compromised, please reach out to Steam, PlayStation or Xbox immediately.

Steam Compromised Account help: here

PlayStation Compromised Account help: here

Xbox Compromised Account help: here

Are overlays and game assistants permitted?

While some third-party overlays and game assistants may be permitted, those that alter gameplay or provide an unfair advantage are not allowed. Verify that any overlays or applications you use do not violate our guidelines.

If you believe that the overlay or assistant you’ve been using has been flagged by our system incorrectly, please contact Support.

Is there a way to check if an account I have reported has been taken action against?

If an account you reported in the game has been banned, you will receive a message the next time you log into the game. These messages get send once a day at a specific time to all users, so there might be a delay between when the account has been restricted and when you receive the notification. The message will not provide any details such as account name or duration of the restriction.

Are there any plans to introduce additional security features or improvements to the anti-cheat system in the future?

We are continuously working to improve our anti-cheat systems, and we do our best to inform the community of the steps we have taken. However, not all improvements can be communicated; some need to remain secret.

Someone else used cheats on my account and it got me banned! Can you please unban me?

Unfortunately, no. Restrictions are applied to an account that has been found in violation of our rules. It is your responsibility to ensure that no third party can use cheats on your account.

Is it possible for a false positive to trigger a ban?

If you believe you have been banned unfairly, please don’t hesitate to contact our Support Team.

Can I transfer my progress or items to a new account if I've been banned?

No. If your account has been found in violation of our anti-cheat policy and we suspended it, you cannot have the progress and items transferred to another account. This includes In-app purchases of items, exclusive items from Beta participation, etc.

Do you offer any rewards or incentives for reporting cheats?

At the moment, no. However, we are constantly working to improve our anti-cheat operations. At the moment, we offer an ethical hacking reward bounty. If you engage in ethical hacking, feel free to check out our bug bounty program. More information available here: https://www.embark-studios.com/security

Someone else is spreading rumors about me and claiming I’m a cheater. That’s not true. What can I do?

You can report harassment to the platform where the rumors are being spread. E.g., if someone is spreading these rumors about you on Facebook, please contact Meta for assistance. Unfortunately, it’s not possible for us to take action on events that happen outside of our game.

Can I request a refund for in-game purchases if I've been banned?

No. Because your account has been found in violation of our anti-cheat policy, your purchases cannot be refunded. However, if you believe you have been banned unfairly, please don’t hesitate to contact the Support team.

Are Virtual Machines permitted?

No. You may not access THE FINALS with a virtual machine.

If you have questions that have been unanswered, please don't hesitate to contact our Support team.

THE FINALS Help Center

Can I play THE FINALS without voice chat?

Related articles