Valorant's "Netflix.exe" Cheating Hack Leaves Indonesia Challengers in Disarray

Allegations of cheating have surfaced during the Open Qualifier of VALORANT Challengers Indonesia Split 1, involving an unknown player named "Mica" who reportedly used cheating software disguised under the name "Netflix.exe".

The controversy unfolded when Challengers Indonesia caster Rere "Bredel" Bintoro shared a video, where Mica was seen showcasing a folder labeled Fantech Audio, initially presumed to be related to audio peripherals. However, the folder contained Netflix.exe, allegedly owned by the accused player.

Riot Games is Yet to Issue an Official Statement

The situation gained attention within the VALORANT Indonesia community, with additional information coming from caster Antonius "Son" Willson, who revealed a text file outlining instructions on deactivating the Riot Vanguard anti-cheat system and activating an aiming assist feature.

A statement from Tokyo Revengers' first opponent in the bracket, found in the comments section of a VALORANT Instagram page, hinted at suspicions during the match, suggesting their positions were known, similar to facing a cheater. Tokyo Revengers' campaign in the qualifier was cut short after defeating Punten Jagoan, facing a decisive defeat against the new Dominatus roster.

In response to the controversy, a representative from Tokyo Revengers released a statement asserting "Mica" had confessed to using cheats and cheating software was present on the machine, but it was not utilized during tournament play.

The statement revealed that Mica has undergone anti-cheat clearance and meets the eligibility requirements for the tournament. As of now, no official statement has been issued by the tournament organizer or officials.

This is Not The First Cheating Incident of Its Kind

Nikhil "Forsaken" Kumawat, former esports player in the Indian CSGO scene, playing for the team Optic India was caught cheating in a similar incident. Forsaken was caught using an aimbot, a program that automatically aims at enemies, giving him an unfair advantage. 

However, the twist was that he disguised the cheat file as "word.exe," the process name for Microsoft Word, in an attempt to fool tournament admins. The Valorant incident is starkly similar with Mica using "netflix.exe" to allegedly disguise cheats on his system.