Riot Games has banned ENVY Canezerra for one year across all titles due to repeated disruptive behavior, one of its most severe penalties.
ENVY player Alex “canezerra” Banyasz has received a Hardware Ban (HWID) from Riot Games following repeated disruptive behavior. The organization has officially terminated his contract. The American player was just two months away from becoming eligible to compete in Tier 1.
What happened to ENVY Canezerra?
On April 17, ENVY announced that canezerra would no longer be part of the organization following a 12-month hardware ban issued by Riot Games.
“After a careful review of canezerra’s behavior while playing Riot’s games, they found multiple violations of their Terms of Service,” the organization said in an official statement. “This was not a ban for cheating. However, the breach of the Terms of Service carries penalties that affect his eligibility to remain on the ENVY roster.”
The 17-year-old player won’t be able to play, compete, stream, or engage in any promotional activity across all Riot Games titles for 12 months.
Canezerra acknowledged the allegations and admitted to actions he deeply regrets. “There’s no excuse for it. I’m really sorry to my fans, ENVY, Riot Games, and everyone who supports me. I’ve let you down,” he wrote on X. “Especially in ranked, I’ve acted immaturely, and this is a clear wake-up call that I need to be better.”
Why did Riot ban ENVY Canezerra?
Especially at the professional level, Riot Games enforces strict penalties for abusive behavior. Following repeated violations of its Terms of Service, the developer issued a ban to canezerra. While the exact reason behind the punishment has not been fully disclosed, this is not the first time the player has been involved in controversies.
In 2025, his former girlfriend accused him of controlling and coercive behavior, making inappropriate jokes, and using racist language in private. At the time, the allegations were accompanied by a series of screenshots of conversations allegedly between the two. Following the accusations, the player announced that he would deactivate his X account.
What is the Hardware Ban?
A hardware ban (HWID) is the most severe penalty Riot Games can impose on an account. According to their guidelines, this is a rare ban which only occurs to “players who’ve consistently chosen not to adhere to our Community Pact or to abide by our terms of service,” they explained.
When a player is identified and receives an HWID ban, they are prohibited from creating, accessing, or using any account on Riot Games platforms or games for the duration of the ban, including streaming them. HWID bans generally result after one of the following things happens:
- A player shows extreme aggression in chat and/or intentionally feeds across many permanently banned accounts.
- A player makes a verifiable threat of harm against other players or Rioters.
If the player tries to access the account, he will see a 152 error code on his screen. “Whenever an HWID ban is active, we’ll regularly search for Riot account activity on the part of the banned player. If any accounts are found, they will be immediately, manually banned,” they added.
HWID bans are usually applied for a minimum of one year. Once the period ends, the player can request a re-evaluation through support. Riot Games will review the case and decide whether to remove or extend the ban.
What does this mean to Canezerra’s career?
Canezerra was just two months away from reaching the minimum age required to compete at the Tier 1 level. While the ban may be lifted after a year, there is no guarantee he will be able to return to competition. A hardware ban is already a severe penalty that can damage a player’s reputation and potentially close many doors to future opportunities.
Not only can future signings be affected, but the player may also be forced to step away from brand partnerships and future commercial opportunities. At the same time, the ban represents a loss of trust among fans and sponsors who once supported the player. While it’s not impossible to bounce back and recover from it, it might take time to regain the fans’ confidence and trust.
A hardware ban issued by Riot Games is, in essence, a career-threatening penalty for a professional player. It not only prevents them from playing but also cuts off competitive access, income, and credibility all at once. It remains to be seen how canezerra will reflect on this issue moving forward.