Struggling RTS game Broken Arrow finally implements better anti-cheat

Real-time strategy game Broken Arrow launched to pretty good reviews. Scoring 79 on Metacritic is nothing to be sniffed at. However, the problems started soon after. The balance was way off, some called multiplayer "unplayable," and the game was infested with cheaters. Developer Steel Balalaika wanted to give players a more challenging version of Command and Conquer, but instead launched a messy game with unbearable PvP. Thankfully, it has listened to the feedback and is making changes in its next update.

All the best RTS games have robust multiplayer so that you can jump into matches with strangers or friends to showcase your skills. It's all well and good being able to batter the AI, but real players give you a genuine sense of how good or - in my case - bad you are at maneuvering your mercenaries.

After a rocky, cheater-infested start, Broken Arrow is introducing both a leaver's penalty and an option to surrender in multiplayer matches. The former is one of the most-requested additions to the game, as players find their ranked matches tanked (pun very much intended) by serial match abandoners, even if they're winning.

Steel Balalaika also says that addressing bad actors is also a "top priority." Cheaters in multiplayer matches will be banned soon after the imminent patch 1.09. The developer says that it has already booted over 5,000 cheaters from the game, and it has also hired a new member of the team whose sole job is responding to cheating reports and appeals.

The new Broken Arrow patch also comes with a few balance changes, but more are on the way as Steel Balalaika looks to give the game's factions more parity. It is also working on improving server telemetry, customer support, and server stability.

There's no hard date on patch 1.09, so if you're getting restless in the meantime, check out some of the best war games to while away the hours. If you want an even more specific list, then we've rounded up the best tank games for you, too.

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