Apex Legends is constantly going through cycles of major ban waves where hackers cannot play the game for several days due to new anti-cheat detection methods. During these times my win rates go up to 50%-70% when I play with my squad. In one 16 hour stream I had 50 wins right after a major ban wave. Then when the cheats start to repopulate my win rates drop to about 20%.
Everyone always notices the aimbotters, the guys with lock on aim and instantly headshot your entire team to death before they have much of a chance to do anything. But for every obvious aimbotter, there are many more players who soft cheat (ESP, No recoil). The soft hackers are the most frustrating because their cheats are not apparent. It's logical to think that most people who cheat are NOT rage hackers (Head lock 100% critical damage togglers) and that the majority simply just abuse wall hacks and no recoil cheats (middle of the road players) to gain just enough of an edge they can beat more skilled players and don't want to be known as cheaters. They have decent mechanical skill and understanding of the game, but want to play with their friends who may or may not be significantly better players.
Most times when I die to an aimbotter, these guys are the worst of the worst in mechanical skill. They lack any understanding of how to move, aim, and lack any modicum of situational awareness and I am pretty sure are 100% aware they are awful, but they get enjoyment from ruining a game they can't be good at for others. That is their minigame, that is what makes them happy, it's not pointlessly winning, it's the concept that, "You and I both know you're 100x better than me but I won because I can get around the system."
Cheaters are probably the worst human beings to exist in the gaming world. I wish there was real life ruining consequences (Such as criminal charges, showing up on background checks for lack of morality, permanent publisher bans and shaming). The problem is that game developers are forced to cater to cheaters because they have to protect every single person, they cannot name drop or shame cheaters (Not because they don't want too, but because if they did and a person was attacked due to such name dropping on their forums, they can be held liable).
I have no doubt if Respawn could lay out every single cheater that is making their life hell they would, they'd string them up in the streets and publicly flog these a-holes. Who wouldn't love to meet the person who laughs while ruining 59 others players games, match after match?
