Cheating in Web3 Games: How Decentralisation Changes Anti-Cheat Design

Cheating has always been a persistent challenge in online gaming. From aimbots in first-person shooters to gold farming in MMORPGs, developers have spent decades building anti-cheat systems to protect gameplay integrity. But Web3 gaming introduces a completely new paradigm. With decentralisation, on-chain ownership, and transparent systems, the rules of anti-cheat design are fundamentally changing. In Web3 games, cheating is no longer just about exploiting code-it can involve economic manipulation, smart contract abuse, and system-level vulnerabilities. This forces developers to rethink how fairness, trust, and security are enforced.