Riot Games Bans Nearly 300,000 Accounts – Vanguard Ban Wave Sparks Controversy

Riot Games confirmed one of the largest ban waves in its history on September 17, 2026: A total of 296,416 accounts have been banned in League of Legends and Valorant for rank manipulation since late 2025. This includes players caught boosting, smurfing, or “hitchhiking” – and among them, prominent names from the streaming scene.

Vanguard, Riot's kernel-based anti-cheat system, is responsible. Originally developed for League of Legends, boosting detection was expanded to Valorant in summer 2026, and since then, bans have been continuously rolling out in both titles. Riot commented pointedly on X: Boosting, smurfing, and hitchhiking are simply all forms of cheating.

https://x.com/riotgames/status/2100631138939421135

How Many Accounts Did Riot Games Ban?

The 296,416 bans span the entire period since late 2025 across both games. Riot sarcastically referred to those affected as “Rent-a-Rank customers” – a jab at the business of purchased rank-ups, where players have stronger accounts boost them instead of earning their rank themselves.

What Does Riot Consider Boosting or Hitchhiking?

Boosting means a significantly stronger player levels up someone else's account or their own. Hitchhiking refers to playing alongside a specifically boosted account in a team, indirectly benefiting from it. Smurfing – playing on an alternate account below one's true skill level – is also considered rank manipulation by Riot, as it distorts matchmaking.

This is precisely where the ban wave became a PR problem: Streamers like Tyler “Trainwreckstv” Faraz and Timothy “Trick2g” Ackerman made headlines after their ranks were reset. Trainwreckstv suspected a connection to playing games with Tyler1, Trick2g, and Yassuo. Trick2g released a video challenging his ban and publicly asked Riot employee Drew Levin for a closer review.

How Did Riot React to the Streamer Controversy?

Drew Levin, Riot's Head of Business and Director of Product Management for League of Legends, initially responded curtly: If multiple Master players use smurf accounts to pull a friend from Gold to Emerald, that is simply boosting. This brief, public reply sparked discussions about the tone used towards affected streamers.

On September 18, 2026, Levin publicly apologized to Trick2g for what he called his “off-the-cuff and incurious” response – an unconsidered, uncurious reaction. At the same time, he reaffirmed that Riot's tough stance against smurfing and boosting remains unchanged, but they are in direct contact with the affected streamers.

How Does This Balance Between Fair Play and Community Backlash Play Out?

Since Vanguard's introduction to League of Legends in 2024, Riot has taken an aggressive stance against cheating and rank manipulation, reportedly accepting a potential decline in player numbers as a consequence. This ban wave demonstrates that it's not just lip service – but it also puts a strain on communication with the community. The fact that prominent streamers became central figures in the debate primarily shows that Vanguard acts regardless of a player's notoriety.

Further information is available on the official sites for League of Legends and Valorant.

Sources: Dot Esports, Dexerto, Sportskeeda, x.com/riotgames

Do you play League of Legends or Valorant, and have you ever encountered boosted opponents or teammates? Share your experiences with Vanguard and rank manipulation in the comments below.

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