The final Open Beta phase of Battlefield 6 will begin this Thursday and last through the end of the weekend. However, players should note an important issue: if you also have Valorant installed on your machine, ensure that you only run one game at a time. Many players have discovered that the notorious anti-cheat systems of these two games can conflict, preventing the games from launching.
Reddit users have shared security violation notifications from the anti-cheat software of both Battlefield 6 and Valorant: a system conflict warning, claiming that Valorant is a conflicting program. Although this warning might mislead some into thinking they need to uninstall Valorant, Riot Games has clarified that this is unnecessary.
The cause of the conflict between Battlefield 6 and Valorant
Phillip Koskinas, Riot’s head of anti-cheat, explained that players can still keep Valorant on their machine while participating in the Battlefield 6 Open Beta, as long as they do not run both clients simultaneously. The cause stems from similarities in how the anti-cheat systems of both games operate.
Previously, Riot sparked controversy when Valorant required TPM 2.0 and Windows Secure Boot, checking the entire system upon startup to prevent sophisticated cheating software. Granting kernel-level access to third-party software has always raised concerns, as the consequences can be severe if exploited or if errors occur.
Similarly, Battlefield 6 also requires Secure Boot and employs security methods that may conflict with Valorant. According to Koskinas, both games use similar game memory protection techniques, leading to Battlefield 6’s anti-cheat system potentially misidentifying Valorant as a threat. The simple solution is to completely close Valorant when playing Battlefield 6 and vice versa.
Controversy over kernel-level anti-cheat systems
Security-conscious users are often concerned about kernel-level anti-cheat systems. However, some recent studies show that this method can enhance anti-cheat effectiveness, making the development of hacking tools more expensive and complex. On the black market, simple cheats cost around $10, while methods capable of bypassing kernel-level security can cost hundreds of dollars.
Nevertheless, some YouTubers have demonstrated that extreme cheating methods still exist that can bypass anti-cheat systems without directly interfering with the PC. For example, one creator built a device that analyzes game images and uses arm muscles to move the mouse precisely, while another method involves directly impacting the mouse surface.
The final Open Beta phase of Battlefield 6 takes place from August 14 to 17, while the official release will launch on October 10. Notably, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 – expected to launch later this year – also requires TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot, so it is likely to encounter similar conflicts when running alongside Battlefield 6 or Valorant.
