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PlaySafe ID’s 2025 survey found that 42% of surveyed gamers had considered quitting a game because of cheaters. That is not a finding that nearly half actually quit, or that they stopped gaming altogether: the question asked how close respondents had come to quitting a game.
What the 42% figure means
The headline figure comes from PlaySafe ID’s Gaming’s Cheating Crisis Report 2025. The report says 42% of its respondents had considered leaving a game because of cheating. Its survey question was: “How close have you come to quitting playing a game because of cheaters?” The result describes respondents’ reported consideration of leaving a title, not confirmed departures. PlaySafe ID’s report and its survey question and finding are the primary sources.
The distinction matters: thinking about leaving a particular game is different from actually quitting it, and both are different from giving up gaming as a whole. The report also groups people who had quit one or more games with people who had considered quitting; that combined framing should not be mistaken for an actual-quitting rate.
Who was surveyed—and what the result can establish
PlaySafe ID identifies 2,013 gamers in the United States and United Kingdom as the survey sample. It reports that 45% of UK gamers had thought about leaving a title because of cheaters. The available report details do not establish that the sample represents all gamers, so these percentages should be read as findings among the report’s surveyed population, not universal estimates.
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The results are self-reported survey answers. They do not establish the true prevalence of cheating, prove that cheating caused every reported intention or behavior, or show that any particular anti-cheat measure will work.
Other reported effects of cheating
PlaySafe ID’s 2025 report includes several other responses that help show the kinds of concerns respondents associated with cheating. Each figure refers to the report’s surveyed population:
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- 80% said they had encountered cheating in online games.
- 55% said they had reduced or stopped spending on in-game purchases because of cheating.
- 83% said they would be more likely to play a game credibly promoted as cheat-free.
- 73% said they would be happy to verify themselves to play without cheaters.
- 79% agreed that penalties for cheating should apply across multiple games.
These are reported experiences, spending choices, and stated preferences—not independent measurements of cheating or proof that verification, cheat-free claims, or cross-game penalties produce the desired results. PocketGamer.biz’s August 12, 2025 coverage also reports several of the survey’s headline figures.
What the survey suggests about possible responses
Respondents’ willingness to verify themselves signals openness among some players to identity checks in exchange for a game they believe is free of cheaters. It does not show that verification is an effective or proportionate solution. The report does not compare the effectiveness of identity checks with other anti-cheat approaches.
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Verification also raises practical tradeoffs. Players and studios would need to consider what information is collected, how it is protected and retained, who can access it, and what alternatives exist for people unwilling or unable to complete a check. The survey’s 73% response is a stated preference, not evidence that respondents considered those implementation details or consented to a particular system.
Likewise, the 79% support for penalties across multiple games records an opinion; it does not settle how cross-game enforcement should work or what safeguards would be needed. The survey shows that respondents expressed interest in stronger responses, but it cannot determine which policy best balances fair play, privacy, accuracy, and appeal rights.
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How to read the headline
“Almost 50%” is a loose description of the reported 42%. A precise account is that PlaySafe ID’s 2025 survey found 42% of its surveyed gamers had considered leaving a game because of cheaters. It did not find that 42% had actually quit, that half of gamers everywhere have quit gaming, or that one anti-cheat solution has been proven to prevent departures.
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