The pros and cons of game boosting services in online games

The pros and cons of game boosting services are a hot topic in the online gaming community. Boosting, also known as “joki,” is common in popular online games like Mobile Legends, Valorant, Dota 2, and even Call of Duty through services such as a Warzone Bot Lobby.

Some players use these controlled lobbies to speed up XP gains, level up weapons faster, and complete difficult in-game challenges more efficiently.

Some see these services as beneficial, while others view them as a pest that harms the gaming ecosystem. So, which side is right? Let’s take a closer look at game boosting.

What is game boosting?

Game boosting is when skilled players (boosters) are paid to play on another person’s account to increase their rank or tier. Customers get the benefits of a high rank without investing the time and effort, while boosters are paid for their services.

Why is game boosting so popular?

The demand for boosting services continues to grow. In Indonesia, for example, Mobile Legends boosting can cost anywhere from IDR 4,000 to IDR 20,000 per star. This popularity stems from basic supply and demand.

Players often seek boosting services because they:

  1. Want to achieve a higher rank instantly.
  2. Feel their skills have plateaued.
  3. Lack the time to play.
  4. Want the social status of a high rank.

Is game boosting allowed?

Almost all game developers officially prohibit boosting. Many have specific rules against it and issue penalties, including permanent bans, to players who are caught.

This also applies to services like BO6 Bot Lobbies, which some players use to gain XP faster, unlock weapon camos, and complete challenges more efficiently in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6:

  1. Moonton (Mobile Legends): Strictly prohibits boosting and issues penalties ranging from chat restrictions to account bans of 7–30 days.
  2. Riot games (Valorant, League of Legends): Considers rank boosting, account selling, and account sharing to be violations of its Terms of Use. Riot warns that sharing account details also makes it harder to recover a lost account.
  3. Level infinite (Honor of Kings): Prohibits users from selling, renting, or sharing account access with others and reserves the right to take legal action.
Game boosting
Game boosting

Many other competitive games have similar rules that strictly forbid boosting.

The downsides of game boosting

What are the negative impacts of using a boosting service?

  1. Damages the game’s ecosystem: Boosters have a much higher skill level than their opponents, which disrupts the matchmaking system and creates unfair games.
  2. Threatens account security: Giving a booster your login credentials creates a risk. They could misuse their access or steal your account.
  3. Risks account suspension: Game developers can ban accounts if they detect boosting activity.
  4. Poses legal issues: There could be criminal penalties if your account data is misused.

How much do game boosters earn?

A booster’s income varies based on their skill, experience, and the popularity of the games they play. In Indonesia, boosters can earn from IDR 4,000 per star up to tens of millions of rupiah per month. Experienced and trusted boosters can earn even more.

Pest or perk?

Game boosting has long been criticized by the community because the ranks achieved aren’t earned by the account owner. To this day, many see boosting as a harmful practice that damages the competitive integrity of online games. The primary beneficiaries are the boosters themselves.

Despite this, boosting services are becoming more common and operate openly. While game publishers are aware of the issue, some seem to tolerate it, perhaps because boosters and their clients contribute to the game’s activity.

However, it’s crucial to remember that if something goes wrong, the responsibility lies with the user and the booster, not the game publisher.