The Risks of Game Cheats
Video game cheats are a popular way to gain an unfair advantage in games. They can be activated from within the game itself (a built-in cheat implemented by the game developers) or by using third-party software or hardware, like a debugger or trainer. In addition to enhancing gameplay, these hacks can often be used for botting, a method of automating the execution of a game mechanic to make it easier.
Game cheating has been a part of gaming for as long as there have been video games. It was originally a vital tool in the game’s development process, used by testers and lucky players with access to games before their official release. As the gaming industry has grown, so have the ways that gamers use cheats to get an edge.
Cheating can be used to enhance a game’s graphics, unlock content, or even change the gameplay itself. Some cheats are merely cosmetic, such as a character with a glowing aura or a head-start in an arena match, while others can have devastating effects on the game’s balance and competitiveness. It’s important for any game developer to understand the risks associated with using game cheats and how they can be avoided.
Traditionally, game cheats were implemented as strings of code that could be entered by the player via the controller’s input ports. These cheats enabled a variety of useful abilities, such as teleportation to any cavern in the game’s environment, unlimited ammunition or weapons, and more. The most famous cheat code was the Konami Code, a string of six buttons that triggered a series of commands that ranged from the hilariously unprintable ‘Engage Ridley Mother….’ in Metroid to the nigh-impossible run and gun of Contra.
Modern cheating methods have moved on, largely thanks to the growth of professional gaming and the emergence of esports tournaments that award huge prizes to winners. These changes have led to a shift in the coding of many of today’s most popular titles, with developers incentivized to design games that can be played competitively without cheating.
External game cheats are typically made by scanning the game’s internal memory or external offsets and then modifying them to the desired result, this can be a complex task that can cause major issues with lagged gameplay or looking a little weird. Internal game cheats on the other hand hook directly into the games source code, work with the game’s objects and types as well as memory addresses and are a lot less complex to create.
Unfortunately for game developers there is always going to be a demand for their products and some will take shortcuts to make it happen faster and cheaper. This has often led to the emergence of “pay-to-win” experiences, where players can purchase upgrades and other content in order to get ahead in the game. This approach is often met with criticism, though, and it’s a constant tug-of-war to ensure that games remain fair and fun for everyone.