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 backlash from the community. Activision's Team Ricochet, responsible for the Ricochet Anti-Cheat system, previously acknowledged shortcomings in its initial Season 1 implementation, stating that it fell short of expectations, especially within Ranked Play.

A recent blog post details Activision's comprehensive anti-cheat plan for 2025. The company revealed over 136,000 Ranked Play accounts have been banned since the mode's launch. Season 2 will introduce enhanced client-side and server-side detection systems, along with a major kernel-level driver update. Further advancements are promised for Season 3 and beyond, including a new 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 crossplay disabling for console players in Black Ops 6 and Warzone Ranked Play. Given the perceived higher prevalence of cheating on PC, this option allows console players to compete exclusively against other console players, mirroring a long-standing practice in standard Multiplayer modes.

Activision emphasized ongoing monitoring and the potential for further adjustments to maintain game integrity, promising more details closer to the feature's launch.

While Activision's anti-cheat efforts are often met with skepticism from the community, the company has invested heavily in Ricochet, pursuing legal action against cheat developers with notable successes. Prior to Black Ops 6's launch, Activision aimed for a one-hour ban timeframe for detected cheaters, implementing an updated kernel-level driver and machine-learning systems to quickly identify and address aimbots and other cheating methods. The company acknowledges the sophisticated nature of cheat developers, describing them as organized groups actively seeking vulnerabilities within the game. However, Activision maintains its commitment to identifying and removing these cheaters, highlighting the inevitable traces they leave behind.