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, including the option for console players in Ranked Play 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. Activision's Team Ricochet, responsible for the Ricochet anti-cheat system, previously acknowledged shortcomings in its initial Season 1 implementation, stating that the anti-cheat integration fell short of expectations, especially in Ranked Play.

A recent blog post details Activision's comprehensive plan to combat cheating in 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, including a novel player authentication system designed to identify and target cheaters, are promised for Season 3 and beyond. Specific details on this new system are being withheld to prevent cheat developers from exploiting its mechanics.

A key immediate change is the upcoming Season 2 feature allowing console players in Black Ops 6 and Warzone Ranked Play to disable crossplay. This addresses the widely held belief that a significant portion of cheating originates from PC players. Console players have long utilized this option in standard Multiplayer, and now Ranked players will have the same capability. Activision plans to closely monitor the impact of this change and consider further adjustments based on its effectiveness.

While Activision's anti-cheat efforts are often met with skepticism, the company has invested heavily in Ricochet, including legal action against cheat developers, resulting in several high-profile victories. Prior to Black Ops 6's launch, Activision aimed to ban cheaters within an hour of their first match, implementing an updated kernel-level driver and machine-learning systems to rapidly detect and analyze suspicious gameplay patterns. The company acknowledges the sophisticated nature of cheat developers, describing them as organized groups actively seeking vulnerabilities within the game's code. However, Activision remains confident in its ability to detect and remove cheaters through continuous analysis of player data.