What happens when a bug affects an esports match?
A · Advanced · During play · 2 of 7Bugs are faults in the game. Minor ones are played through; major or game-breaking ones can lead officials to roll the round back to its start. Using a bug or trick on purpose for an advantage is an exploit, punished from a warning up to a lost match. In VALORANT a coach may challenge the last round once a map.
How it works
- Play-through bugs: minor; not reviewed.
- Major and unknown bugs: can be challenged.
- Game-breaking bug: the round is rolled back.
- Before damage: officials may roll back for a bug.
- After damage: only through a challenge.
- Exploit penalties: warning, rollback, round loss, map loss, match loss.
- Challenge: coach only, once a map, staking a timeout.
- Hiding a bug: in PUBG, treated as abusing it.
The glossary has the bug (esports), the exploit, the round rollback, the challenge (esports), the coach (esports) and the cheating (esports).
Tricky cases
A challenge succeeds. Does the team lose its timeout?
No. It keeps both the challenge and the timeout.
A bug hurts a PUBG team. Rematch?
No. In PUBG bugs bring no rematch, but must be reported.
A player reports an accidental exploit at once. Does it help?
Yes. Officials consider a rollback rather than a harsher penalty.
Can exploit rulings be appealed?
No. In VALORANT they are final.
Why the rule exists
Game software is never perfect, so rules decide when a fault changes a result. Punishing exploits keeps the contest about skill.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| VALORANT | Rollbacks and challenges | V 5.7 to 5.9 |
| PUBG | No rematch for bugs | P 5.4.2.12 |
| Deliberate bug use | Penalised as cheating | P 5.4.2.12 |
From the rule book
the EWC 2026 VALORANT and PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS rule books: VALORANT, sections 5.7 to 5.9; PUBG, section 5.4.2.12. Checked 14 October 2026. Official documents: the Esports World Cup 2026 rule books.