Key Takeaway
An Aimbot is a computer program that some players use to cheat in shooter games. The Aimbot essentially aims the gun for the player so that they can hit targets more easily.
In FPS games (first-person shooters) and similar gun-toting titles, an Aimbot is a computer program that some players use to cheat. This specific brand of cheating gets a computer program to aim the player’s gun for them so that they can hit targets more easily.
Table Of Contents
How an Aimbot Works
There are multiple types of Aimbots out there. On top of that, every game needs its own particular brand of Aimbot due to game software varying a lot between titles.
With that said, we’ll delve into the two main archetypes of Aimbots: Injection Aimbots and Tracking Aimbots. Both use the data displayed on a player’s screen in combination with other techniques to create the desired effect.
Injection Aimbots
“Injecting” is a term used to describe inserting external coding into a game’s software. This is done by opening the title’s code in a program before copying and pasting compatible coding text into the proper place.
Think of a game’s software as a human body and an Aimbot’s code as a drug in a syringe (not unlike steroids in this instance).
Once the code is injected, it alters some of the game’s processes. In the case of Injection Aimbots, the inserted code usually automatically transfers the coordinates of enemy players directly to the reticle attached to the cheater’s gun. Afterward, (depending on the Aimbot), shots are let off from the gun.
In appearance, this looks like someone aims and fires at their opponent with faster-than-possible reflexes and accuracy as soon as their foe appears on the screen.
Tracking Aimbot
As opposed to most Injection Aimbots, Tracking Aimbots can sometimes be implemented without altering a game’s coding. Players can (depending on the game and the platform they’re playing on) connect a Tracking Aimbot program to their game. The methods and types vary a lot, but some examples are using dedicated self-contained Aimbot programs and inserting Aimbot files into a game’s file folder.
With Tracking Aimbots, the computer program looks for character models to find opposing players through the game’s graphics. Once the bot finds a foe, it locks on and (sometimes, depending on its programming) fires at them with insane speed and precision.
Other Hacks Often Used Alongside Aimbots
Why stop at automatically aiming at an enemy? If someone is cheating in one way, they’re likely to do so in other manners. In this regard, wallhacks and triggerbots are some of the most frequent companions to Aimbots.
A wallhack is a computer program that lets players move through—or shoot through—solid walls. When used with an Aimbot, players can pretty much gun down any opponent from any position.
As for triggerbots—they simply pull the trigger of a gun. A lot of the time, these can be integrated into Aimbots. When combined, you have a program that aims and shoots at foes.
Aimbots on PC and Consoles
Depending on the platform, Aimbot users need to use different methods to cheat. The Aimbot scene on PC is pretty different from those on console brands such as Xbox and PlayStation.
Fornite Aimbots Are a PC Plague
WarningDue to the ease with which it is possible to access a game’s files on PC, users can inject (insert) Aimbot code with only a few clicks and keystrokes. One of the games that sees an absurd amount of Aimbots use is Fortnite. There are dozens of Aimbot programs for this game alone—and more are being created regularly.
However, Fortnite is far from the only game with hackers ruining the fun for everyone. Here’s a list of the other most-hacked games featuring heavy Aimbot usage:
- PUBG (PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds)
- Apex Legends
- CG: GO (Counter-Strike: Global Offensive)
- Games in the Call of Duty franchise
- Team Fortress 2
- League of Legends
NoteAimbots on Xbox One and PS4
While hacking on Xbox and PlayStation consoles is less common than on PC, it’s still possible. Impressively (yet depressingly), there are even more ways to implement Aimbots on console than on PC—despite this act being less popular and harder to pull off.
Instead of only really being doable by injecting coding and downloading programs like on PC, some peripherals let players cheat manually. For example, there are external devices that can be attached to controllers that increase the speed at which players can aim and fire guns.
It doesn’t stop there, though. Users can potentially put an Aimbot onto a USB drive and then insert it into their console to transfer the program.
On top of that, the more technically knowledgeable hackers can rip the game software from the original disc, make a copy with tweaked code, and then use that to play an altered version of the game that works in their favor. This is complex and—frankly—not worth the effort. Realistically, the kind of person who uses Aimbots isn’t going to go through all this work to headshot people in Fortnite more easily. People use Aimbots to avoid training their skills—they’re lazy.
Altering the digital version of a game can be done like with the disc ripping method mentioned above, but by tampering with the game files alone.
Aimbot Users Are Ruining Games
Aimbot users disgust us. There are few things more dislikable than someone who takes the fun out of a medium centered on fun. Yes, we just referred to Aimbot users as “things”—they aren’t people; merely the programs they use and nothing more.
We can’t fathom booting up a shooter game only to get a bot to play the game in our place. FPS (and TPS) titles are heavily focused on the acts of aiming and shooting guns. If you use a computer program to do that, you’re not playing the game anymore. You might as well not even log in or purchase the game to begin with.
The fun that comes with winning is only enjoyable if it’s earned. If someone cheats to gain a victory, it is hollow and pointless. Maybe someday those who engage in hacking will see this. Or maybe they won’t and the entire PVP shooter genre will descend into a hellscape of robots fighting proxy wars in digital dimensions. Oh wait, it already is.
To end on a lighter note, if you need more help delving into the world of gaming terminology, we’ve got lots more content for you! Consider exploring the realm of player-made sub-genres, such as Metroidvania, Soulslike, and Roguelike! The more you know, the farther you’ll go.
