Riot Games has made a significant change to its Vanguard anti-cheat system. Following an update that went live today, the software no longer launches when your PC boots up but instead operates "on demand": it activates only when you open a compatible game and shuts down once you exit. Previously, Vanguard would run automatically upon startup, remaining active in the background until system shutdown.
Vanguard stirred controversy since its 2020 debut due to its kernel-mode operation, a deep system-level access that theoretically grants Riot invasive monitoring capabilities. The software's constant presence heightened concerns about privacy and performance overhead. Other titles like Genshin Impact and Doom Eternal also employ kernel-level anti-cheat but faced similar criticism.
With the new on-demand option, users whose PCs meet required security standards can reduce the software's intrusiveness. Vanguard continues safeguarding games like League of Legends and Valorant against cheating, but now respects periods when players aren't in matches. The shift acknowledges long-standing community demands for greater control over what runs on their systems.
