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Riot’s public guidance does not confirm that a VALORANT hardware ban follows a GPU to its next owner. Riot does not identify a GPU serial number—or another specific component identifier—as the basis for enforcement in the cited guidance. That means a used GPU cannot reliably be called either “banned” or “clean” based on those sources.
What Riot’s public guidance establishes
Riot describes Vanguard as security software made up of a client and a kernel-mode driver. It says unexpected interactions with Vanguard’s client or driver on a device may affect a player’s ability to play. That description does not disclose which hardware identifiers, if any, Riot uses to impose a device restriction. Riot’s Vanguard overview was published June 2, 2026.
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Riot’s VALORANT penalties and bans FAQ, also published June 2, 2026, describes player penalties and notes that detection-system details are limited. It does not say that a GPU carries a ban to a subsequent owner, or that replacing a GPU clears a restriction.
Distinguish an account penalty from a device or security issue
Account penalty
An account penalty concerns the account and its ability to play. Riot’s penalties FAQ is the relevant public source for penalty information; it does not establish that a particular GPU caused or inherited that penalty.
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Vanguard security or configuration restriction
Vanguard may require security features such as TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, Memory Integrity (HVCI/VBS), or IOMMU, depending on the PC’s configuration. Riot’s Vanguard system requirements page, published May 31, 2026, discusses those system-security features. A requirement or configuration error is not evidence by itself that the PC or GPU has a disciplinary hardware ban.
Hardware identification and transfer
Whether Riot uses component identifiers in enforcement, and whether any such identifier would persist across ownership changes, is not established in the cited public material. Vanguard’s device-level description should not be treated as confirmation that bans attach to a GPU.
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If you are buying or selling a used GPU
Riot’s published guidance does not support promising that a used GPU is free of a VALORANT restriction, nor claiming that it is banned because a previous owner had an account penalty. It also does not recommend replacing or buying a GPU as a fix. Treat the GPU as ordinary used hardware and do not make enforcement assurances that Riot’s sources do not substantiate.
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If VALORANT shows a penalty or restriction
- Record the exact error or penalty message, including any displayed code.
- Use Riot’s penalties and bans FAQ to identify the kind of issue described.
- For an account-specific penalty or device restriction, contact Riot Player Support with the message and relevant account details. Riot’s public pages provide a support route but do not promise a reversal.
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