Naming Yourself ‘Andrew Tate’ in Apex Legends Can Get You Banned

EA is reportedly banning Apex Legends players for using the name “Andrew Tate” in Apex Legends and possibly other titles as well. Multiple players have reported the issue and prominent leaker and YouTuber “Garret” also shared that players are receiving bans for breaking the “Positive Play Charter” under EA’s terms and conditions. It looks like EA has added Andrew Tate as a word or phrase that can “harm others or negatively disrupt the game” according to the emails received by players.

Why are players getting banned for using the name “Andrew Tate”?

Andrew Tate is a controversial internet personality and a former professional kickboxer who has allegedly made sexist comments about women on social media platforms. He has appeared on podcasts with Alex Jones, NELK Boys and other controversial personalities and creators.

He has been found making statements like “It’s bang out the machete, boom in her face, and grip her up by the neck” and “I’m not calling them (women) property. I am saying they are given to and belong to the man.”

Many websites like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitch and TikTok have removed Andrew Tate’s official accounts citing policy violations and it looks like games are doing the same if reports of EA banning players are true.

Fortunately for players, the ban lasts a week and is not permanent. However, if you have previous bans for the same reason, it can lead to a permanent ban. It is strongly recommended to avoid using names of controversial figures or have offensive words as your names.

Players find ways to have offensive names by using special characters, especially on Steam as the game picks up your Steam profile name instead of your EA/Origin name. If your real name is Andrew Tate and you get banned, then that is simply unfortunate and you should reach out to EA and seek assistance for an unban.

Apex fans on social media are divided on the issue. While many do not mind, Apex Legends should not have banned the name as many others are unhappy with how it is being handled. There are instances of offensive names being used with racist or homophobic words but there is no action being taken against them which has left many players upset.