In PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PC, Xbox One), players from China are said to make up a large portion of the cheaters. But why is that? Why is cheating and dishonesty in games so popular in China?
Many players of the battle royale game PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) have already fallen victim to cheaters. They are regularly shot through walls, receive pinpoint headshots, or face opponents who zoom around like Flash or heal instantly.
According to the anti-cheat software BattlEye, a large portion of the cheaters in PUBG come from China!
The former head of PUBG, Brendan Greene, said in 2018 that 99% of cheats come from China. While cheats are widely spread around the world, the acceptance of cheating is somewhat higher in China.
Cheats as a Marketing Strategy! China has a Cheater Infrastructure
In China, the business of cheat software seems to be booming. Of the approximately 560 million players in the Middle Kingdom, over a third regularly resort to cheating software. The cheats are openly advertised on the internet and in the game.
Even through the chat service “WeChat” of the Chinese PUBG publisher Tencent, cheating software is said to have been sold on a large scale. Prices range between approximately 13 and 76 Euros. Payments are conveniently made through “WeChatPay,” which is also provided by Tencent.
If that is too expensive, one can visit a special gaming café. Some of these “i-cafés” are said to unabashedly advertise cheat software as pre-installed. Capturing the spirit of “Come to us to play, here you will definitely win!”
It is clear in any case: the infrastructure for cheating is present in China. Ironically, many of the services through which cheats are distributed belong to Tencent, the company behind PUBG in China.
What’s the deal with cheating and China? Culturally accepted more than in the West
So why do so many cheaters come from China? Is there a connection between Chinese culture and cheating? There are many sources on the internet that have dealt with this. We have gathered some of the explanations here for you.
However, keep in mind that these are subjective impressions from the internet and not a cultural study. As stated in the explanatory models:
- In China, many people earn little money. However, those who unlock loot boxes in games like PUBG through success can sell them for real money. This only pays off if you win often, and that’s where cheats come in handy.
- In China, there is not much emphasis on intellectual property. That’s why there are so many Chinese clones of well-known games. The moral view that copying or cheating is something “wrong” is simply not widespread.
- “Cheating” is widespread in Chinese culture. Even in the Middle Ages, there was cheating and bribery in imperial examinations for the civil service. This has remained the case to this day. Fraud and deception are also a huge problem in schools and universities. In one province, there was even a parents’ revolt because the state suddenly imposed stricter surveillance during a test and many students failed. You can find the article on the website Telegraph.co.uk.
- Many young people in China are under great pressure to succeed. The country has been undergoing a radical transformation for years, and one must be successful at all costs. In this regard, only the result counts. Therefore, if one can achieve something with little effort, they have an advantage over those who are not clever enough or cannot afford the best cheats. It is thus valid to say, “Look at me, I’m awesome because I have the best cheating software, you noobs!”
Cheating is a Huge Problem, Government and Publishers Want to Crack Down!
Cheating in games like PUBG and others is by no means a trivial matter anymore. In China, eSports are popular. 57 percent of the viewers of eSports broadcasts are said to come from China. The major sports event “Asian Games” is set to take place in China in 2022, where eSports will also be awarded medals and prizes.
Of course, no one wants to see headlines about massive cheating among the eSports athletes of the host country. To curb the problem, publisher Tencent, among others, is taking action against the cheaters. Together with the government, over 120 cheat providers were already criminally prosecuted in 2018.
A recent case was reported in the spring of 2021. There, the police took massive action against cheaters (via BBC).
Over 100,000 Euro Fine for Streamer
In addition, there are consequences for cheating streamers. A known streamer named Lu Benwei aka “Wu Wu Kai” was banned by Tencent in 2018 for “uncivilized behavior” and fined approximately 127,000 Euros. Although he denies it, it is assumed that he also cheated. Things are changing, and cheaters are increasingly facing trouble in China.
Due to the cheaters, many players are now calling for the entire Chinese region to be banned from PUBG!
