Battlefield 3 Anti-Cheating System Targets Innocents

Battlefield 3 isn’t exactly a new game, since it was released in 2011 and a sequel has since been released (and another sequel has been thus far announced and entered beta), but it’s still played rather frequently thanks to its above-average multiplayer and because, hey, you have the game so you might as well play it.  Unfortunately, however, the anti-cheating system used by Battlefield 3 has gone rogue, and has started wreaking havoc on normal, law-abiding gamers.

The anti-cheating system in question, PunkBuster, was flagging normal players accidentally and thus kicking them out of multiplayer, which unfortunately happens to be the only reason to play Battlefield 3.  On the Battlefield 3 Help Page, EA has written...

"We are investigating an issue of PunkBuster bans that were incorrectly applied to some of our players.  Please understand that our game advisors are not able to access or overturn PunkBuster bans, but we're working with our partners at Even Balance to get this resolved as quickly as possible."

They urge affected players to talk to the creators of Prankbuster directly to get their bans lifted.  If you were one such player, you might want to get on that.

Fortunately, it seems this incident will be limited to Battlefield 3.  Battlefield 4 uses a different anti-cheating system for it’s other two popular games Titanfall and Battlefield 4, called Fairfight.   Additionally, you probably have nothing to worry about if you’re still usin’ the old VAC software. 

Still, bad news for Battlefield 3 fans, who are surprisingly devoted to that game even though it’s getting a bit dated… but then again, I have no right to talk, I’m still overwhelmingly devoted to Relic’s old 2002 RTS Impossible Creatures.  To each their own, I guess.