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 the option to disable crossplay with PC players in Ranked Play.
The surge in cheating reports, particularly following the introduction of Ranked Play in Season 1 of Black Ops 6 and Warzone, has fueled intense debate within the Call of Duty community. Many players believe the prevalence of cheaters is severely impacting the competitive experience. Activision previously acknowledged shortcomings in its initial anti-cheat implementation for Season 1, stating that Ricochet Anti-Cheat did not meet its intended effectiveness, especially in Ranked Play.
A recent blog post details Activision's 2025 anti-cheat roadmap. 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 novel player authentication system designed to identify and ban cheaters more effectively. Specific details on this new system are being withheld to prevent cheat developers from exploiting it.
A key immediate change for Season 2 is the introduction of crossplay disabling for console players in Black Ops 6 and Warzone Ranked Play. This addresses concerns that a significant portion of cheating originates on PC. Console players have long opted out of crossplay in standard multiplayer, and this option will now extend to Ranked Play. Activision will closely monitor the impact of this change and consider further adjustments to maintain game integrity.
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 and achieving notable successes. Activision previously stated a goal of banning cheaters within an hour of their first match, a target supported by updated kernel-level drivers and machine-learning systems designed for rapid detection and analysis of suspicious gameplay. The company acknowledges the sophisticated and organized nature of cheat developers, emphasizing its ongoing efforts to identify and remove them from the game.
