Two Vietnamese PUBG Players Permanently Banned for Stream Sniping

KRAFTON, the publisher of PUBG, has issued a lifetime ban against two Vietnamese professional players, La Phuong Tien Dat (known as Himass) and Tran Tan Vu (known as TanVuu). The decision stems from allegations that the players used external information to gain an unfair advantage during matches. The controversy began on September 17 when South Korean gamer Soopi accused Himass and TanVuu of cheating. Organizers immediately disqualified the players and revoked their PUBG Vietnam Partner status. KRAFTON later acknowledged that it had rushed its initial announcement without full verification and issued an apology for the errors, but proceeded with the ban. According to KRAFTON, the players allegedly watched livestreams of other participants to gather tactical information inaccessible during standard gameplay. This practice, known as stream sniping, involves monitoring an opponent's broadcast for an advantage. KRAFTON confirmed the violations after cross-referencing official livestream footage, player recordings, in-game data, and match replays. Investigations into other tournament players found no further cases requiring disciplinary action. KRAFTON reiterated that it has never officially authorized players to watch others' livestreams or use external information during competition, emphasizing that this rule applies to all official events. As a result of the ban, Himass and TanVuu are permanently ineligible to compete in any official tournaments organized or sanctioned by KRAFTON worldwide. However, the players retain the right to formally appeal the decision. The publisher also admitted to its own shortcomings in handling the incident, citing a failure to provide clear guidance and enforcement measures. KRAFTON stated it is reviewing its operational, investigative, and decision-making processes to identify and rectify issues. The incident raises significant questions about fairness and integrity in esports. Information source: VnExpress International