Activision cites data claiming cheating in games is an $8.5bn industry
As cheating evolves into a massive business, developers face significant challenges in maintaining player retention and revenue.
Activision's Team Ricochet, the anti-cheat initiative for Call of Duty, has cited data suggesting that the cheating industry has grown into an $8.5 billion business. According to estimates from the threat intelligence platform Intorqa, cheat developers earn roughly $3.5 billion annually from 15 analyzed games, a figure that rises to $8.5 billion when including account sales and spoofing services.
The phenomenon is increasingly described as "Cheating as a Service." André Pimenta Ribeiro, CEO and co-founder of Anybrain, explained to GamesIndustry.biz that malicious actors are using sophisticated methods, including generative AI, real-time problem-solving tools, and digital identity spoofing, to bypass security. This rapid evolution allows bad actors to quickly counter anti-cheat software, threatening player trust and studio revenue.
A survey of 250 developers in the US and UK, commissioned by Anybrain and conducted by Atomik Research, highlights the scale of the issue:
69% of studios consider cheating to be a "significant or very significant problem";
Over half of the respondents reported measurable decreases in player retention or loss of revenue;
76% of developers have implemented anti-cheat measures, with most opting for a multi-solution security tech-stack;
24% have not implemented any anti-cheat solutions. The primary reasons cited are the lack of effective tools (25%), concerns over community feedback (22%), and the belief that cheating is not a major issue (22%).
The data also reveals that 31% of developers who previously implemented anti-cheat were forced to remove it due to performance issues, interference with game design, or lack of effectiveness. Despite these challenges, 88% of studios plan to increase their anti-cheat investments over the next 12 months, and 93% have already established dedicated anti-cheat teams within their organizations.
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