Can you get banned for smurfing in Valorant? What does Riot do about it? (2024)

Opinion

Alistar Smyth

12^thOctober 2023Edited at: 12th October 2023

Smurfing in Valorant: A practice that once sparked controversy but is now navigated adeptly by Riot Games, ensuring that players are neither strictly penalized nor banned for utilizing smurfs accounts. While smurfing – creating and using a secondary account when you are already an experienced player – has often been associated with numerous negatives, it’s worth examining the evolution of Riot Games’ approach to managing this phenomenon, which has mitigated several detrimental aspects and enhanced the gaming ecosystem for all.

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Understanding Smurfing

Smurfing allows seasoned players to engage in matches often with and against those of a lower skill level. This practice may facilitate a more relaxed gaming environment, assist in playing with friends who might be new to the game, allow experimentation with new strategies and agents, and encourage learning and adaptation to different playstyles, without the pressures and stakes of their primary ranked account.

Positive Sides to Smurfing

One of the notable aspects to acknowledge about smurfing is the considerable array of positives that it brings to individuals and their gameplay. Smurfing allows players to explore the gaming landscape with a new perspective, offering a less stressful environment and providing a platform where they can help new friends navigate through the early stages of Valorant. The exploration of new strategies without jeopardizing their main account’s rank and getting to grips with various agents and styles in a real-match setting undoubtedly serve as beneficial opportunities.

Riot's Approach to Balancing Smurfing

Over time, Riot Games has taken several strategic actions to balance smurfing and mitigate its potential downsides, ensuring a fair play environment for all Valorant players.

• MMR Boosting: Riot adjusted the Matchmaking Rating (MMR) algorithm to detect smurf accounts more efficiently. Consequently, if a player continuously outperforms their current rank, their MMR will rapidly adjust, propelling them into higher rank brackets where they will face opponents of corresponding skill level, reducing the time spent in lower ranks.
• Queue Management: The company refined the queue management system to identify and manage instances of significant skill disparities within a team, aiming to align matches with players of more equivalent skill levels, thus maintaining competitive integrity.
• Rank Disparity Limitations: Riot introduced rank disparity limitations in competitive matchmaking, thereby restricting the range of ranks that can queue together. This minimizes the potential for higher-ranked players to heavily influence lower-ranked games.
• Account Verification: By implementing stringent account verification processes, Riot Games ensures that creating multiple accounts is not overly simplistic, therefore establishing a minor hurdle for those attempting to smurf.

Conclusion

While smurfing does bring along several individual benefits and Riot Games has adeptly balanced many of its negative aspects, the conversation surrounding its ethicality in the gaming community continues. Nonetheless, with the company's active involvement in ensuring equitable play, Valorant players can delve into the game, explore different strategies, and enjoy diverse playstyles, all while contributing to a fair and enjoyable competitive environment.

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