Activision Tackles Call of Duty Cheating with New Anti-Cheat Measures and Crossplay Options
Activision has responded to widespread player concerns regarding cheating in Call of Duty's Black Ops 6 and Warzone, announcing significant updates to its anti-cheat strategy and offering console players in Ranked Play the option to disable crossplay with PC players.
The surge in cheating reports, particularly since the introduction of Ranked Play in Season 1 of Black Ops 6 and Warzone, has sparked considerable outrage within the community. Activision previously acknowledged shortcomings in its initial Ricochet Anti-Cheat implementation, admitting that it fell short of expectations, especially in Ranked Play.
A recent blog post details Activision's 2025 anti-cheat roadmap, revealing over 136,000 Ranked Play account bans since the mode's launch. Season 2 will introduce enhanced client-side and server-side detection systems, along with a crucial kernel-level driver update. Further advancements are promised for Season 3 and beyond, including a novel player authentication system designed to identify and target cheaters more effectively. Specific details on this new system are being withheld to prevent cheat developers from exploiting the technology.
A key immediate change for Season 2 is the introduction of console crossplay disabling in Ranked Play for Black Ops 6 and Warzone. This addresses a long-standing player request, recognizing that a significant portion of cheating activity originates from PC players. Console players have routinely disabled crossplay in standard Multiplayer; this update extends that option to Ranked Play. Activision plans to closely monitor the impact of this change and consider further adjustments to maintain game integrity.
While Activision's anti-cheat efforts are frequently met with skepticism, the company has invested heavily in its Ricochet technology and actively pursues legal action against cheat developers, achieving several high-profile victories. Prior to Black Ops 6's launch, Activision stated its goal of banning cheaters within an hour of their first match. The game launched with an updated Ricochet kernel-level driver and enhanced machine-learning systems designed for rapid detection and analysis of gameplay to counter aimbots.
Activision acknowledges the sophisticated and organized nature of cheat developers, emphasizing their ongoing efforts to identify and remove cheaters from the game. The company maintains its commitment to combating cheating and improving the overall player experience.
