Cheating Then vs Now: The Evolution of Gamers Cheating

Gaming has evolved tremendously, from blocky pixels to high-definition textures that replicate the real world, from basic control inputs to insane button combinations. The landscape of gaming has evolved, which also means the aspect of cheating has morphed. 

From the days when entering a few codes could make you invincible, acquire an infinite amount of wealth, or just fly, to the present day, where cheating is often synonymous with disrupting fair competitive play. The comparison is insane and makes gaming less fun in today’s field. So, let’s look deeper into this and unravel the difference between cheating then and now. 

Cheating was a tool for fun. Remember the days of classic single-player games? Whether it was “cheat codes” in Doom or the infamous “Konami code” in Contra, cheating was arguably a harmless tool to enhance the enjoyment of gaming. Think about it as a hidden code that you can place in to unlock things you have never seen before. 

From Polygon1993 Official GIPHY

As a kid, this was a game changer. I remember placing codes for GTA: Vice City and just enjoyed rampaging around until my PSP’s battery completely drained. It baffles me how much time can fly despite doing the same thing over and over again. It shows that cheating wasn’t about gaining an unfair advantage over the NPCs but personalizing your experience. 

Cheating 2.0, the modern rise of multiplayer. As stated previously, as gaming evolved, so did the concept of cheating. With the inclusion of online multiplayer, cheating became a means to gain an edge over opponents. Suddenly, it wasn’t about having fun in your own space but about dominating others in one shared digital space. Cheats shifted from hidden codes to malicious third-party hacks designed to exploit the game’s code vulnerabilities or manipulate server connections. 

From reddit user @Mantaza

Cheating has taken on a more sinister face—a face that destroys the fire within every competitive gamer. From aimbots in first-person shooters to exploits in real-time strategy games, cheaters use tactics to gain an unfair advantage, undermining legit players' hard work and skill.

Where do we go from here? As cheating has become more prevalent, game developers and publishers have continued to place their best efforts—at least that is what they say they are doing—in modern anti-cheat software, regular updates, and player reporting systems. However, as developers devise new measures to thwart cheating, hackers and cheaters respond with even more sophisticated software and techniques. 

From The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Official GIPHY

S, will it ever end? My honest answer is no, which means if an enjoyable does actually develop a genuine solution to fix it, it would be a pivotal moment in gaming history. But until then, we have to wait and see. 

Before that time, you might as well upgrade your setups at home because real life has its own cheaters. If you want to protect your home with smart security, you can take it to the Next Upgrade Shop, which provides the latest and greatest smart cameras you can install. Take security to a whole other with a simple upgrade!