Partnering with PlaySafe ID, Gamepires has launched a first-of-its-kind playtest to reduce cheating in its multiplayer survival game, SCUM. The trial runs on optional, dedicated servers available to players who have verified their identity with a secure bank-grade KYC process that ensures no documents are ever seen or stored by PlaySafe ID or Gamepires.
Any player caught cheating in PlaySafe Protected servers during the playtest will receive a PlaySafe ID ban or penalty, preventing them from simply returning on a new account. Gamepires will use the trial to assess how persistent accountability and cross-game penalties can reduce repeat offending and improve the overall player experience.
SCUM, a top 300 bestseller on Steam, has faced persistent cheating throughout its early access period and following its full launch in June 2025. Gamepires uses advanced technology to enable effective cheat detection in SCUM, but has been unable to prevent offenders from returning with new accounts or ban workarounds.
“Cheaters pose a challenge to he integrity of our game and the experience of honest players. It’s one of the biggest complaints from the SCUM community, stealing fun and undermining countless hours of development effort. We’ve heard the frustrations of players, and that’s why Gamepires are testing a new optional approach to stop the cycle of cheating with PlaySafe ID.”
Sven Folksson, General Manager, Gamepires
“PlaySafe was born from a love of gaming and deep frustration at the state of cheating, which has a disastrous impact on brilliant games as well as gamers’ experience. For too long, cheaters have simply created new accounts when banned to avoid penalties.
We are giving gamers the ability and the choice to hold themselves and each other to account, and we’re proud to be taking this major step with Gamepires and SCUM.
For the first time ever, cheaters can’t just hop on a new account and come back in. Getting caught cheating now matters, fair play now matters, and the cycle of cheating ruining games can now finally be broken.”
Andrew Wailes, CEO and Founder of PlaySafe ID
PlaySafe ID raised a seed round of $1.12 million in May 2025, with a mission to keep cheaters, bots, and predators out of games.
The playtest ensures data privacy using zero-knowledge KYC (know-your-customer) checks with Onfido, an Entrust company. All biometric data and document images are hashed and deleted, and none are stored by or shared with either PlaySafe ID or Gamepires. All users are anonymised, but accountable.
