Back in August 2023, while some players were busy perfecting their chicken-dinner strut, PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS’ anti-cheat team was busy doing something far less glamorous: publishing a list of permanently banned accounts. The investigation period ran from 2023/08/07 to 2023/08/13, and the message was simple. Cheat, and the door does not just hit a player on the way out — it removes the entire account from the building. In 2026, that old ban list still reads like a fossilized warning sign, a reminder that the ban hammer has a long memory and an even longer swing.

The anti-cheat team did not wake up one morning and decide to shame random nicknames for fun. The list was published to raise awareness about illegal software and the consequences of misconduct. It was a public service announcement wrapped in a spreadsheet of shame. The banned players were not given a polite timeout or a sternly worded letter. They were permanently banned. That means no comeback match, no redeemed skin, no tearful apology tour. Just a digital ghost town where their account used to be.

To protect the not-so-innocent, the list masked each in-game nickname by replacing the first three letters with asterisks. So a name like ChickenHunter69 might appear as ***ckenHunter69. It is a small mercy, but it still leaves the banned player staring at a name that looks like a cursed password. The list itself is not a hall of fame. It is a wall of shame with a privacy filter.

Detail	Information
Investigation period	2023/08/07 ~ 2023/08/13
List type	Permanently banned accounts
Nickname privacy	First 3 letters replaced with *
Main reason	Illegal software and misconduct
Official stance	Fair gaming environment

PUBG’s anti-cheat team has always had a thankless job. It is part referee, part detective, part bouncer, and part exasperated parent. While legitimate players are arguing over loot, the team is chasing aimbots, wallhacks, speed cheats, and whatever other dark magic cheaters have cooked up. The 2023 report was one chapter in an ongoing saga. By 2026, the tools have changed, the cheats have evolved, and the ban hammer has gotten heavier. Yet the core rule remains: play fair, or play somewhere else.

One does not simply cheat in PUBG and expect to keep their account. That is not a hot take. That is a fact. The anti-cheat team asked players to report illegal software and misconduct through in-game reports first. If extra help was needed, players could contact official support. That two-step approach keeps reports organized and gives the team better data. It also means players should not just scream into the void. The void does not file bug reports.

Then there was the security advice: set up Steam Guard Mobile Authenticator. This is the digital equivalent of locking the front door, installing a camera, and adopting a very territorial goose. Account theft is a real threat. A player can lose an account without ever cheating, simply because someone else got the password. Steam Guard Mobile Authenticator adds a second layer of protection, so a stolen password alone is not enough. It is boring advice, but boring advice keeps accounts alive.

Here is the uncomfortable truth: cheating ruins the experience for everyone. It turns a battle royale into a battle against software. It makes every suspicious headshot feel like a crime scene. It makes the final circle less about skill and more about who installed the better cheat. The anti-cheat team knows this. That is why they publish ban lists, mask nicknames, and keep swinging the hammer. The 2023 list was not just a list. It was a message to every player: the rules have teeth.

Of course, in 2026, the conversation has moved on. New seasons, new maps, new weapons, new cheats. But the fundamentals have not changed. Permanent bans are still permanent. Reports still matter. Account security still matters. And the anti-cheat team is still watching. They may not be perfect, but they are persistent. That persistence is the only reason the battle royale remains playable for the millions who just want a fair fight.

Players who want to stay on the right side of the ban hammer should remember a few simple rules:

• Do not use illegal software.

• Do not engage in misconduct.

• Report cheaters through in-game reports.

• Contact official support if additional help is needed.

• Set up Steam Guard Mobile Authenticator.

• Keep the account locked down like a fortress.

• Enjoy the game without becoming a cautionary tale.

That last one is important. The best way to avoid the banned players list is to never earn a spot on it. The anti-cheat team values player interest and opinions, and they have promised to do their best to provide a fair gaming environment. That is not just corporate politeness. It is a mission statement. In a genre where one cheater can ruin a hundred matches, fairness is not a luxury. It is the whole point.

So, yeah, the 2023 ban report is old news in one sense. But in another sense, it is evergreen. The names are masked, the accounts are gone, and the lesson remains. PUBG’s anti-cheat team is still out there, still investigating, still banning, and still hoping players will choose the boring path of honesty. The ban hammer never sleeps. It just waits for the next player who thinks they can outsmart it. That is a big yikes for anyone planning to cheat. For everyone else, it is a reassuring sight.