A new study has revealed the video games with the most cheaters – and Minecraft has come out top of the list.
The game guide publisher, Guide Strats, analysed the search volume of a range of key terms connected to various popular video games. Terms included phrases such as “cheat codes”, “cheats PS4”, and “cheats Xbox One”. The ranking was then determined by the video games that received the highest average monthly search volumes across the US.
The study reveals that Minecraft has the highest number of cheaters. The iconic game, released back in 2011, has an average search volume of 237 193 across the US. The research found that Minecraft is the most common game to cheat on in 48 states.
In second place is Sims 4 with an average monthly search volume of 149 118. The study found that Mississippi cheats the most on Sims 4 than any other game with residents searching for cheats an average of 1 425 times every month.
GTA 5 is in third place with an average monthly search volume of 120 592. The research reveals that Oregon cheats the most on GTA 5 than any other game with residents searching for cheat terms an average of 5 413 times every month.
Baldur’s Gate 3 takes the fourth spot on the list with an average monthly search volume of 82 160. The role-playing game is one of Washington’s top games to cheat on with residents searching for Baldur’s Gate 3-related cheats 4 006 times every month on average.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is next on the list with an average monthly search volume of 82 160. The study found that Elder Scrolls V is one of California’s favourite games to cheat on with residents searching for cheats 8 700 times every month on average.
Fortnite is in sixth place with an average monthly search volume of 62 833. The study reveals that Fortnite is one of New York’s favourite games to cheat on with residents searching for cheat terms an average of 15 471 times a month.
Stardew Valley takes the seventh spot, with an average monthly search volume of 56 733. The farm life simulation game is one of Utah’s top games to cheat on with residents searching for cheats an average of 865 times a month.
Final Fantasy XIV is next on the list, with an average monthly search volume of 55 843. The online role-playing game is one of New Mexico’s favourite games to cheat on with residents searching for Final Fantasy XIV-related cheats on average 454 times a month.
Ninth place goes to Fallout: New Vegas. The study reveals that the 2010 action role-playing game has an average monthly search volume of 42 129 across the US.
Lastly, Cyberpunk 2077 rounds out the top 10. The research found that the 2020 action game has an average monthly search volume of 36 252 across the US.
Interestingly, the study reveals that Oregon has the highest number of cheaters overall with 720 average monthly searches per 100 000 people. New York has the second-highest number of cheaters with 698 searches on average a month per 100 000 residents.
“Over the years, cheating has become a normalised part of gaming, yet it remains a divisive topic,” says Candace Healy, the head of branding at Guide Strats. “While some see no harm in looking up the odd cheat code, others believe that it ruins the experience of the game.
“It must be said, though, that cheating can often take away the fun of online games – such as downloading an ‘aimbot’ on Fortnite for a higher team score,” Healy adds. “As this study proves, there is a growing epidemic of cheaters in the gaming community.”