Call of Duty Responds to Cheating: Console Players Can Now Disable Crossplay with PC

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 following the introduction of Ranked Play in Season 1 of Black Ops 6 and Warzone, has sparked considerable outrage within the community. Many players believe the prevalence of cheaters is severely impacting the competitive experience. Activision previously acknowledged shortcomings in its initial anti-cheat implementation, admitting that the launch of Season 1 did not meet its expectations, especially concerning Ranked Play.

A recent blog post details Activision's comprehensive plan to combat cheating throughout 2025. This includes the announcement of over 136,000 account bans issued for Ranked Play violations since the mode's launch. Season 2 will introduce enhanced client-side and server-side detection systems, along with a substantial 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 about this new system are being withheld to prevent cheat developers from exploiting the information.

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 widely held belief that a significant portion of cheating originates on PC, this option mirrors the existing crossplay disabling feature already available in standard Multiplayer modes for console players.

Activision emphasizes ongoing monitoring and potential future adjustments to maintain game integrity, promising further updates as the crossplay disabling feature approaches its launch.

While Activision's anti-cheat efforts are often met with skepticism from the community, the company has invested heavily in its Ricochet anti-cheat technology, including legal action against cheat developers, resulting in several high-profile victories. Prior to Black Ops 6's launch, Activision aimed for a one-hour ban timeframe for detected cheaters in their initial match. The game launched with an updated Ricochet kernel-level driver (also implemented in Warzone) incorporating new machine-learning systems to accelerate detection and analyze gameplay patterns to identify and counter aimbots. Activision highlights the organized nature of cheat developers, emphasizing their sophisticated methods and the ongoing effort to identify and remove them from the game.