anybrain.gg
Announcements

Announcing the smurf detection and search feature

This functionality is available through the user dashboard or the API. It allows direct player accounts comparison or the search for a list

André Pimenta

• 3 min read
Announcing the smurf detection and search feature

We are very proud to announce the smurf search and detection feature.

Our mission is to provide the best possible tools and solutions to tackle the issue of cheaters or to catch cheaters. In video games, we are pleased to announce that smurf search and detection feature is now available.

Looking for smurf accounts?

This functionality is available through the user dashboard or the API. It allows direct player accounts comparison or the search for a list of smurfs for a specific account.

Our approach

While using IP information, in-game data, and game results (or related information) can help understand and detect some smurfs accounts, it is a big challenge, yet without an effective and functional solution on a large scale. That is why we at Anybrain rely on our unique gaming profile-based approach to confirm the existence of smurf accounts effectively.

This way, we intend to add value to some of the techniques used and actually make the detection and validation of smurfs reliable, quick, and efficient.

Smurf search view

What Is a Smurf in Gaming and Why do People use Smurf Accounts?

A smurf, or sandbagging, describes a player account in an online game, often highly skilled or at high ranked levels, which creates another account to play against lower-ranked players. The smurf pretends to be a new or low-level player, which allows him to dominate his opponents.

The use of this type of strategy in some types of games is also known as Twinking. It defines the action of one player transferring gear/equipment of high-level characters to lower-level characters, which the latter would normally not afford/acquire. The higher stats of this equipment give the lower-level character an unfair advantage over the remaining characters of its rank.

This type of technique is used by many players, sometimes for fun, sometimes with bad intentions, to create frustration in the players at a lower level. Still, it is also used to guarantee anonymity during the game to train new techniques without being identified or play with friends with low-level ranking helping them.

It is also used as a fraud in betting systems or prize contests, where smurf is used to increase the probability of winning prizes.

Impact of smurfing in games

Smurfing is a frustrating practice because it goes against the point of having ranked matchmaking systems. No matter your skill level, these systems are designed to let you play against others who are almost as good as you. If you play well, you move up the ladder, while losses are punished by dropping your rating. Unfortunately, adding smurfs to the mix means the system will crash.

Players who use smurf accounts also don’t invest as much in the game as legitimate players. To keep their accounts at the desired low rating, smurfs often need to intentionally “play” or lose games. They can do this explicitly by refusing to move, jumping off the map multiple times, or going straight for the enemy.

Eliminating this problem from matchmaking systems and reducing player frustrations is one of the priorities of many developers right now; proof of this is the inclusion of smurf reports in Apex Legends (EA, Respawn Entertainment), or even the stated intentions of companies like Riot, Activision, and many others.

Sources:

Share article