I launched Valorant after work, and my evening collapsed into a BIOS menu. The updater wanted firmware, Secure Boot, and TPM enabled before I could play a single match. You can feel the game policing your hardware more than your opponents.
I’ve been on PCs long enough to know when a defender has gone too far, and I want to walk you through what Riot’s Vanguard is now doing — what it asks of your machine, what it can and can’t actually do, and why most players are the ones paying the price for a tiny number of cheaters.
At my desk the other night, a launcher rejected me until I flipped a firmware switch on my motherboard.
Riot’s Vanguard started as kernel-level software aimed at stopping cheats. Today it demands that your hardware and firmware meet specific rules before you can play. That change isn’t neutral: it forces regular players into system-level friction most titles never touch.
Most modern titles use services such as Easy Anti-Cheat or Denuvo Anti-Cheat to detect common cheating tools. Riot went further — asking for TPM, Secure Boot, and protections that let the system isolate memory from external devices. You can call this an aggressive stance; I call it a bouncer who inspects the rest of the house to let you into the club.
Can Vanguard brick my PC?
Short answer: Riot says no, but there are caveats. Reports that Vanguard “bricked” machines centered on DMA cheat hardware — external cards that read system memory directly. Riot’s response: Vanguard now leans on IOMMU (Input–Output Memory Management Unit) to block those devices. If cheat hardware tries to access protected memory, the device can fault and stop working. That can render the cheat device useless, which is why Riot joked about a “$6k (€5,700) paperweight.”
Riot clarified that Vanguard does not physically damage standard consumer hardware, and that the photo they posted showed external cheat devices, not ordinary PCs. Still, if you have to update firmware, toggle Secure Boot, or enable TPM to meet Vanguard’s checks, there’s real risk — firmware updates can fail if power is lost, and incorrect BIOS changes can leave a system unbootable until fixed.
My friend missed a tournament match because his system refused to boot until Secure Boot was enabled.
That’s the human cost: players losing time, matches, or access to their machines because anti-cheat routines demand system-level changes. Vanguard is no longer a background guard; it asks for permissions that affect how your motherboard and peripherals behave.
Some companies are taking similar steps. Epic Games required TPM and Secure Boot for some Fortnite tournament environments as a counter to DMA devices. Riot’s approach ties Vanguard into those same hardware trust mechanisms, but that raises the question: should a free-to-play shooter require you to hand it control of core system features?
Why does Vanguard require Secure Boot and TPM?
Those measures create a trusted chain: Secure Boot prevents unsigned bootloaders from running, TPM stores keys and attestation data, and IOMMU isolates memory from direct-attached devices. Together they raise the bar against sophisticated cheats that read or inject into memory. The trade-off is that they force players to change BIOS settings and sometimes flash firmware — steps that are unfamiliar and, if mishandled, risky.
There’s also a competitive ripple: hardware-level protections are effective against DMA attacks, but they don’t stop every cheat. Traditional aimbots and user-space hacks still exist, so the burden shifts to the honest majority while the payoff — a cleaner playing field — is never guaranteed.
At a community Discord last week, half the chat was troubleshooting BIOS menus instead of match strategy.
That simple observation explains why players are frustrated. Vanguard’s rules may reduce advanced cheating vectors, but they also turn matchmaking into an IT support queue for average users. The game is now policing your machine as much as your behavior, and that changes the relationship between developer and player.
Anti-cheat in this form can feel like an overzealous locksmith, drilling into your door to keep a few burglars out while you stand on the porch wondering how to get back in.
How can I protect my PC while still playing Valorant?
Keep firmware and drivers up to date, back up critical data before flashing BIOS, and enable Secure Boot and TPM only if you understand the steps or have clear instructions from your motherboard maker. If you compete, check tournament rules early — Epic’s Fortnite moves show this is an industry trend. If you’re uncomfortable with kernel-level software, consider reaching out to Riot support and community channels for guidance before making irreversible changes.
I believe fair play matters, and I also believe players deserve clarity and safety when a game asks to control core system features. Riot is trying to stop cheaters who use sophisticated hardware tricks, but the current balance forces ordinary players to bear the friction. Should game companies be allowed to make your PC answer for a few bad actors — or is that asking too much of players who just want to play?