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Apex Legends has permanently banned more than 2,000 accounts after enabling a new detection system targeting XIM cheating devices. The latest Apex Legends ban wave was confirmed by the game’s official competitive communications account, which stated that third party cheating peripherals are not tolerated in the battle royale.

The move follows an earlier January crackdown on Titan cheat devices, which resulted in over 1,000 permanent bans. Combined, Respawn Entertainment says more than 3,000 accounts have been banned in 2026 alone for using hardware designed to bypass anti cheat systems.

New XIM Detection Enabled In February

On February 19, a new detection specifically targeting XIM devices had gone live, immediately leading to over 2,000 permanent bans.

XIM adapters are external peripherals that allow players to use mouse and keyboard on consoles while appearing as a controller input. In some cases, they can also manipulate aim assist behaviour, giving players an advantage in gunfights.

Respawn previously introduced a separate detection in January focused on Titan cheat devices. That earlier action resulted in more than 1,000 accounts being removed from the game. According to reporting from Esports Insider, the combined total of hardware related bans since the start of 2026 now exceeds 3,000 accounts.

Ongoing Anti Cheat Efforts Since Season 23

This latest Apex Legends ban wave builds on broader anti cheat updates rolled out in September 2025. At that time, Respawn strengthened its detection systems in an effort to limit anti recoil exploits and automated bot activity.

Since the launch of Season 23, over 400,000 accounts have been permanently banned, largely due to improved bot detection and enforcement against exploit usage.

The new wave also comes shortly after the launch of Season 28 on February 10. The current season introduced Hardlight Meshes, along with a rework to Fuse’s ultimate ability, changes aimed at shifting the competitive meta while anti cheat measures continue to operate in the background.

Community Reaction And Console Debate

As expected, the announcement sparked debate across social media.

Some players questioned whether the bans were limited to PC. One user claimed they had heard nobody on console had been banned, suggesting the action may have focused primarily on PC accounts. Others argued that XIM usage is more closely associated with console environments, which added to the confusion.

Another player called for console level hardware bans, referencing how Bungie previously implemented console bans in Destiny. The suggestion was that platform level enforcement, potentially involving PlayStation and Xbox, could prevent cheaters from simply creating alternate accounts.

At this stage, Respawn has not publicly clarified whether the 2,000 bans were spread across PC and console or concentrated on one platform.

Impact Ahead Of ALGS Season Six

The timing of the crackdown is notable. The sixth season of the Apex Legends Global Series begins on February 28 with regional Online Open tournaments, which determine eight teams qualifying for the first Pro League split in April.

With competitive play ramping up, hardware cheat detection becomes increasingly important. Removing players who rely on third party peripherals helps protect the integrity of ranked play and the wider esports ecosystem.

Apex Legends is not alone in tightening enforcement. Earlier this month, the Call of Duty franchise announced new measures to target hardware devices that enhance reaction times or manipulate aim assist in Ranked Play across Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 and Call of Duty: Warzone.

For now, Respawn’s latest Apex Legends ban wave signals that hardware based cheating remains firmly in its sights. Whether this significantly reduces XIM usage long term, or simply pushes cheaters to create alternate accounts, will likely become clearer over the coming weeks as Season 28 continues.