Anti-Cheat, $15K Event and New Ban Policy – All the Details of FACEIT Season 9

FACEIT has officially launched its ninth competitive season, introducing a major set of updates to the platform. Players can expect a new event with a $15,000 prize pool, changes to the anti-cheat and ban systems, the return of Vertigo, revamped missions, and several other new features.

One of the main highlights of the season is the FACEIT Challenger Queue, which will run from August 5 to 9 and feature a total prize pool of $15,000. Invitations will be sent to the top 500 players on the European FACEIT ladder, as well as the top 50 European teams according to the VRS ranking system.

FACEIT has also brought Vertigo back to the official map pool. The platform has updated player profiles with seasonal statistics, redesigned the mission system with new badges, and added a feature that allows players to commend others directly from the match page.

Another major change concerns FACEIT's anti-cheat system. The platform is introducing a Human Input Detection algorithm designed to improve the detection of unfair play. At the same time, FACEIT is tightening its punishment policy, with harsher bans for cheating and smurfing.

Season 9 will also introduce a test of Half-Time Voice Chat, allowing players to communicate during the break when teams switch sides.

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Players will have to complete a series of calibration matches at the start of the new season. However, FACEIT has made the transition less punishing this time around, with Elo reductions set to be less aggressive during the new competitive cycle.