Apex Legends Season 17: Arsenal launches next week, and will introduce a number of significant changes to the game, from the end of seasonal ranked splits to the introduction of a new weapon mastery system (and, of course, a new legend). But with all the pre-season excitement in the air, it's easy to miss one of the most valuable additions Season 17 is bringing to the game: a better system for targeting the cheaters, bots, and smurfs who have plagued Ranked Mode in recent times.

During Season 17 previews, Respawn gave attendees the scoop on the dev team's latest anti-cheat measures. While discussing the game's "under-the-hood" changes to Ranked Mode matchmaking, Apex Legends design director Evan Nikolich detailed some of the behind-the-scenes moves being made to combat players with less-than-honorable intentions.

"We have an all new matchmaking system done with a hidden skill rating," Nikolich told viewers. "The big thing is we're taking into account is pre-made squads, to balance for competitive advantages."