Respawn Entertainment has announced a major anti-cheat crackdown for Apex Legends, confirming that players using third-party hardware designed to manipulate controller inputs will face permanent bans.
The update targets devices such as XIM adapter, Cronus Zen, Titan Two, and Strikepack, which allow players to automate actions, reduce recoil, or alter input behavior to gain an advantage.
In a competitive integrity update released on March 4, the developer made its stance clear.
“Devices such as Strikepacks, Cronus, XIM, and similar hardware that manipulate input behavior undermine competitive integrity and negatively impact the experience for legitimate players—particularly within console and controller ecosystems,” Respawn said.
“Their use to automate actions, modify recoil, alter input behavior, or simulate unintended control schemes to gain an unfair advantage is cheating. Full stop.”
Permanent Bans Planned for Offenders
Respawn confirmed that new detection systems are already in development as part of what it described as a top priority for its anti-cheat team.
The system will use a multi-layered approach designed specifically to detect hardware that manipulates player inputs. According to the developer, the goal is to identify these devices “with a high degree of confidence” while ensuring that legitimate accessibility tools are not mistakenly flagged.
Players confirmed to be using these devices will be removed from matches and permanently banned from the game. Respawn also warned that it will not grant leniency or entertain appeals for accounts found to be cheating through hardware manipulation.
Wider Anti-Cheat Push
The announcement follows a recent ban wave targeting accounts using XIM and Titan peripherals. Respawn said the latest update represents the next major phase in its ongoing efforts to improve competitive integrity across all platforms.
“We understand how widespread these devices have become and the frustration they cause within the community,” the studio said.
Work on expanded detection capabilities is already underway, with further updates expected as the system rolls out across platforms.
Respawn concluded with a direct warning to players considering the devices: using hardware to gain an unfair advantage will result in a permanent account ban.