Editor’s note: this post has been updated to reflect the announcement of the official competitive ruling on the Vivo Keyd exploit by the VCT.
Vivo Keyd’s Jonathan “JhoW” Glória used an illegal Cypher camera on Friday during their VALORANT Champions match against Acend on Breeze, according to previous Riot Games rulings on the location of the camera and players’ use of the spot it is placed.
In Round 13 during Map 3 on Breeze, JhoW threw a Cypher camera outside of A site’s main entrance. This camera was deemed illegal during a match between X10 and Galaxy Racer during the Southeast Asia Challenger Playoff on Aug. 13 since the camera cannot be destroyed and glitches to be able to see outside the map.
Riot Games has yet to issue comment on the use of the Cypher camera.
The use of this Cypher camera in X10’s match against Galaxy Racer earned X10 the win overall in the series. However, after evaluation from the Riot Games officials, the camera was deemed illegal, and X10 were forced to forfeit the series. The loss prevented them from attending VCT Masters 3: Berlin.
“It has been determined that X10 Esports utilized a known banned one-way Cypher cam on A site Breeze,” Riot Games said in a statement about X10’s forfeit. “This is considered an exploit as enemies are not able to destroy the camera while being in its sight as the camera can see through a piece of overhanging texture outside the cave/tunnel.”
Vivo Keyd’s Cypher camera wins the series
Like X10, Vivo Keyd used the illegal Cypher camera when they were ahead of Acend 9-4 at VALORANT Champions. After using the camera, Vivo Keyd went on to win the round in flawless fashion and take the lead in the match 10-4. Vivo Keyd would eventually go on to win Breeze 13-8 and take the win over the EMEA team 2-1 in the series.
Other VALORANT pros also commented on the use of the illegal camera by Vivo Keyd.
“Shameless,” former FaZe Clan player Hunter “BabyJ” Schline said on Twitter. “Every Cypher player knows not to use this.”
VCT reaches a competitive ruling
During Map 3 of the series between Acend and VK, Jonathan "JhoW" Gloria, of Vivo Keyd, violated a rule of the VALORANT Global Competition Policy.
Read more: https://t.co/WjqnDLETnC— VALORANT Champions Tour (@ValorantEsports) December 4, 2021
In a post on Friday night, VCT announced its ruling on JhoW’s Cypher camera use:
“During map three of the match between Acend and Vivo Keyd, Jonathan “JhoW” Glória from Vivo Keyd violated Rule 7.2.6 of the VALORANT Global Competition Policy by using a Cypher camera placement that is not functioning as intended and violates the design purpose of VALORANT. JhoW used the Cypher camera exploit on six (6) rounds of the match.
The six (6) rounds where the camera exploit was used will be forfeited by Team Vivo Keyd and granted to Team Acend, resulting in an adjusted score of Acend 12, Vivo Keyd 9. To account for the economic impact of the six (6) forfeited rounds on the subsequent rounds in the map, Acend will be additionally awarded one (1) round.
Therefore, the adjusted final score of map three is: Acend 13, Vivo Keyd 9.”
