PC players in the Battlefield 6 open beta are discovering they must uninstall Valorant before they can launch the game, due to a conflict between the two titles’ anti-cheat systems. While Battlefield 6 is already enjoying record-breaking success ahead of its October 10 launch, this requirement has sparked frustration among fans — with some opting to purchase the game on console instead.
Record-Breaking Open Beta
The Battlefield 6 open beta ran from August 9 to 10, attracting over 470,000 concurrent players on Steam and becoming the most successful beta in the franchise’s history. Players have praised its satisfying gunplay, immersive sound design, destructible environments, and new mechanics like dragging downed allies during revives. Some weapon balancing issues remain, but these are expected to be addressed before launch.
The Anti-Cheat Conflict
The controversy began when Twitter user Revolutionary Sun posted a screenshot showing a pop-up message stating Valorant must be uninstalled before launching Battlefield 6. This stems from a conflict between EA’s Javelin anti-cheat system and Riot’s Vanguard program, as both require kernel-level access to operate.
A Reddit thread on the issue is filled with players joking that EA is “doing them a favor” by removing Valorant, but others are unhappy about being forced to uninstall an entirely different game just to play Battlefield 6.
EA’s Javelin Anti-Cheat in Action
Battlefield 6 marks the first time EA’s proprietary Javelin anti-cheat system has been implemented at launch. Introduced in 2022 as EA Anticheat, Javelin has been enhanced over the years and already blocked more than 330,000 cheating or tampering attempts since early access for the beta began on August 7.
Despite these security measures, kernel-level programs remain controversial due to their deep access to a player’s PC. While they can be highly effective against cheats, they also carry potential risks, such as software conflicts and security vulnerabilities.
What This Means for Players
For now, PC players who want to participate in the beta will need to decide between uninstalling Valorant or waiting until the conflict is resolved — if EA and Riot choose to address it. Console players, however, can enjoy the game without worrying about anti-cheat software compatibility issues.