Respawn Entertainment has taken another major step in its ongoing fight against cheating in Apex Legends, this time focusing directly on some of the highest-ranked players in the game.
According to a new update from the Apex Legends Anti-Cheat Team, Respawn carried out a highly targeted integrity check on the top 100 positions on the leaderboards for each platform. The sweep resulted in 86 total bans, with 79 players removed from console leaderboards and 7 players banned from PC.
The move is notable because it did not focus only on the average-ranked lobby. Instead, Respawn went straight after the most visible section of the competitive ladder, where even a small number of cheaters can damage player trust in the entire ranked system.
Apex Legends Top 100 Leaderboard Ban Wave Explained
The latest Apex Legends ban wave was aimed at players sitting inside the top 100 positions on each platform leaderboard. Respawn said this was a focused and targeted action, carried out as part of its regular anti-cheat efforts.
The result was 86 bans across console and PC. Console made up the overwhelming majority of the removals, with 79 players banned. PC saw 7 players banned as part of the same sweep.
As much of the Apex community has spent years arguing about the scale of cheating on console, particularly around devices like XIM and Titan, it wasn’t surprising to see. While PC cheating often gets more attention because of traditional software cheats, controller and input manipulation has become one of the biggest frustration points for ranked players on console.
Respawn Used Manual Integrity Checks on Top-Ranked Players
Respawn’s latest action was not just a broad automated ban wave. The developers specifically targeted the top end of the leaderboards using manual integrity checks and internal anti-cheat systems.
When suspicious accounts appear at the very top of Predator or high-ranked ladders, it creates doubt around the legitimacy of the grind for everyone else. Players who are trying to climb fairly may feel like the ranked system is stacked against them, especially when they see familiar high-profile names suddenly disappear after a ban wave.
Respawn also confirmed that this type of targeted check is performed on a regular cadence. In other words, this does not appear to be a one-off cleanup. It is now part of the studio’s wider anti-cheat toolbelt.
New Apex Legends Detection System Removes 1,000 Accounts in Its First Week
The leaderboard sweep is only one part of Respawn’s latest anti-cheat update. The studio also revealed that its Anti-Cheat Team has spent the past several months developing, testing, and validating a new detection system.
In its first week alone, that detection system identified and removed 1,000 accounts for using unauthorized software or gameplay enhancements. Respawn said the system also targeted XIM and Titan users, expanding protection against cheating devices that can manipulate controller inputs or provide unfair gameplay advantages.
The studio noted that the tool was deployed to the live game only after extensive verification. Respawn also said it has been conservative with enforcement so far, which means the number of bans could grow significantly in the coming weeks as the system is expanded and tuned.
XIM and Titan Users Remain a Major Target
XIM and Titan devices have been a long-running issue in Apex Legends, especially in controller-heavy environments. These devices can be used to gain unfair advantages by altering input behavior, improving recoil control, or creating gameplay enhancements that normal players do not have access to.
Respawn has made it clear that it sees these tools as a threat to competitive integrity. The new detection system being able to target XIM and Titan users, is a major part of this update, because many players have been asking for stronger action against hardware-assisted cheating for a long time.
The key challenge, according to Respawn, is accuracy. The team said its controller cheating detection work requires a large number of moving parts and analysis of large amounts of match data. That slower process may frustrate players who want instant bans, but Respawn says it needs to be thorough to reduce the risk of false positives.
Apex Legends Anti-Cheat Push Is Not Over
Respawn ended its update by making it clear that this is not a one-time effort. The studio says it will continue monitoring, refining, and expanding its anti-cheat capabilities to stay ahead of new threats.
With more updates expected in the coming weeks, Apex players may soon see even more suspicious names disappear from the leaderboards.
