Competitive Ruling: Vivo Keyd

Dec 4, 2021

During map three of the match between Acend and Vivo Keyd, Jonathan “JhoW” Glória from Vivo Keyd violated Rule 7.2.6 of the VALORANT Global Competition Policy by using a Cypher camera placement that is not functioning as intended and violates the design purpose of VALORANT. JhoW used the Cypher camera exploit on six (6) rounds of the match.

The six (6) rounds where the camera exploit was used will be forfeited by Team Vivo Keyd and granted to Team Acend, resulting in an adjusted score of Acend 12, Vivo Keyd 9. To account for the economic impact of the six (6) forfeited rounds on the subsequent rounds in the map, Acend will be additionally awarded one (1) round.

Therefore, the adjusted final score of map three is: Acend 13, Vivo Keyd 9.

Why is this an exploit?

The location of the camera allows the Cypher player to see through the back of a small map texture that is intended to block the player’s view. From an opposing perspective on the opposite side of the map texture, the texture is solid and blocks the Cypher camera from view.

Why wasn’t the match stopped?

Tournament Officials will only stop a match if an exploit is clear and obvious, or reported by a participating team. The one-way view of the camera exploit is a small portion of the camera’s perspective, and was not immediately obvious when watching the player move the camera during the match. Additionally, Acend did not report the exploit.

Impact of the exploit

Tournament Officials considered the impact of the Cypher camera exploit on each round that the exploit was employed. Due to viewing such a critical location of the map, the Cypher camera exploit provides information that is extremely valuable regardless of whether the camera actually sees players from the opposing team. For example, the knowledge that the opposing team has not yet committed to entering the A site is critical information that can decide the outcome of the round, and does not require actually seeing players from the opposing team. JhoW used the camera a total of six (6) rounds over the course of the match.

Teams Have the Opportunity to Seek Approval

The Cypher camera employed by JhoW includes a one-way view through the back of the map texture that should have been understood by JhoW as being unintended. If the player or team was unsure of whether or not the camera location was considered an exploit, the VALORANT Global Competition Policy explains that the team has the opportunity to contact the referee to determine if use of the Cypher camera was considered exploiting. Team Vivo Keyd did not contact Tournament Officials before use of the Cypher camera exploit.

Evidence

Tournament Officials assessing the exploit reviewed each round during play in the match. Tournament Officials identified that the following rounds were impacted by use of this specific Cypher camera exploit.

Round 13: Exploit was used to obtain information that no players from Acend were entering the A site from the cave.

Round 14: Exploit was used to obtain information that players from Acend were entering the A site. Additionally, JhoW pinged the Sova player from Acend immediately as the player crossed into full view.

Round 15: Exploit was used to obtain information that no players from Acend were entering the A site from the cave.

Round 17: Exploit was used to obtain information that no players from Acend were entering the A site from the cave.

Round 19: Exploit was used to obtain early information of a Sova dart shot from the player of Ascend.

Round 20: Exploit was used to obtain information of the Kay/O player from Acend running through the Cypher cage of Vivo Keyd.

Conclusion

The specific Cypher camera exploit provides an unintended one-way view of the entrance to A site of Breeze, which provides critical information that has a severe impact on the outcome on the round even when the Cypher camera does not see the players from the opposing team. Therefore, the six (6) rounds where the Cypher camera exploit was used will be forfeit by Team Vivo Keyd and granted to Team Acend, resulting in an adjusted score of Acend 12, Vivo Keyd 9.

Furthermore, the outcome of a specific round affects the economy of subsequent rounds. To account for the impact of the six (6) forfeited rounds on the subsequent rounds in the map, Acend will be additionally awarded one (1) round.

Therefore, the adjusted final score of the map is Acend 13, Vivo Keyd 9.

Relevant Rules

7.2.6. Exploiting.

Intentionally using any in-game bug to seek an advantage is exploiting and is prohibited. Exploiting includes acts such as making use of any game function that, in the Tournament Operator’s sole judgement, is not functioning as intended and violates the design purpose of VALORANT. Team members may confidentially check with the referee at the beginning of a Competition to determine if a specific act would be considered Exploiting. Riot reserves the right to make an ex-post-facto determination of whether an exploit has occurred.