The use of bots to cheat in video games has seen a substantial 97.3% average increase across Canada between February and June, new research reveals. The Cheating Countries study uses search volume data to analyze the incidence of cheat codes, bots, and hacks used in popular video game titles, and compares this to the number of downloads in each country, to reveal which locations have the highest density of cheaters.
The research found that Canadian gamers favor using hacks in Overwatch, have a high likelihood of using cheat codes while playing Minecraft, and are the fifth most likely country to use bots while playing any video games. Searches for hacks and cheat codes have also risen by 41.9% and 57.9% respectively, with Apex Legends seeing the biggest surge of cheat code use across the country.
And this cheating isn’t limited to Canada – global gamers are most likely to cheat while playing Minecraft, although League of Legends and Fortnite also experience a higher incidence of cheating compared to other titles. An analysis of which bots are most popular in each country reveals that Canada gamers use bots to boost finances far more than any other category, while they favor cheat codes to alter game terrain and improve invincibility.
Meanwhile. gamers in the Philippines are most likely to use cheat codes to gain combat skills, while Swedish and Norway players use bots for power-ups.
Top ten countries with the highest density of cheaters overall
- Brazil
- Georgia
- Iraq
- Pakistan
- Portugal
- Greece
- Bulgaria
- Algeria
- Romania
- Azerbaijan
The study also found that Iceland, Panama and Costa Rica claim the lowest density of cheaters, making gamers from these locations more likely to be honest about their abilities when playing against others online. The study has also compiled a list of countries where gamers find solace in using cheats and unfair advantages to gain edge in the game.
