What Games Can Be VAC Banned?

Games that utilize the Valve Anti-Cheat (VAC) system can result in a VAC ban for cheating, including popular titles such as Counter-Strike: Source, Half-Life 2: Deathmatch, Day of Defeat: Source, and Team Fortress 2. The VAC system is integrated into numerous games, and a ban can restrict access to official servers across all VAC-enabled games on a player’s account.

Understanding VAC Bans

Key Information

To determine if a game has VAC enabled, players can check the game’s store page on the right-hand side, which will indicate if Valve Anti-Cheat is enabled. This system is designed to detect and prevent cheating, ensuring a fair gaming environment.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do I know if a game has VAC? On the store page, scroll down to see information saying “Valve Anti-Cheat enabled“. For example, checking the CS:GO store page will show this information. Alternatively, categories on the store page can indicate if a game uses VAC or not.

2. Do VAC bans go away after 7 years? No, VAC bans are permanent but will stop showing on a player’s profile to others after 7 years. However, there are methods to still view these bans after the 7-year period.

3. Can I play COD with a VAC ban? Yes, since COD uses Ricochet Anti-Cheat instead of VAC, a VAC ban will not affect gameplay.

4. Has anyone ever gotten a VAC ban removed? VAC bans are generally permanent. Only a few instances have occurred where bans were reversed, primarily due to technical issues with VAC.

5. What triggers a VAC ban? The VAC system detects cheats using their cheat signatures. Any third-party modifications designed to give a player an unfair advantage can trigger a VAC ban.

6. How bad is a VAC ban? A VAC ban prevents players from accessing VAC-protected servers in any VAC-enabled game on their account. This means no access to official servers for games like TF2 or CS:GO.

7. How long do VAC bans last? VAC bans are permanent and cannot be removed by Steam Support unless the ban was issued incorrectly.

8. Why was I VAC banned? VAC bans are issued when the system detects cheating. If a ban seems incorrect, it will be automatically removed if an investigation confirms the ban was a mistake.

9. Can you get VAC banned without cheating? No, VAC and game bans are intended to prevent cheating. A VAC ban should only be issued if cheating is detected in a VAC-enabled game.

10. Is VAC ban worse than game ban? Yes, a VAC ban restricts access to official servers across all VAC-enabled games, while a game ban may only limit access to casual games within a specific title.

11. Can a VAC ban be lifted? No, VAC bans are permanent. They can only be removed automatically if the ban was mistakenly issued.

12. What is the oldest VAC ban on Steam? The oldest VAC bans date back to 2005, when permanent bans were first introduced.

13. Is Valve Anti-Cheat good? The effectiveness of VAC can be seen in the number of banned accounts, indicating its role in reducing cheating. However, its delayed ban system can allow cheaters to affect games before being banned.

14. What does it look like to be VAC banned? A VAC ban means a player cannot access VAC-protected servers in any VAC-enabled game. They can still play on custom, non-VAC-protected servers.

15. Can everyone see my VAC ban? Yes, VAC bans are visible on a player’s profile unless they are over 7 years old. After 7 years, they are only visible to the account holder but remain in effect.