Activision Will Let Call of Duty Black Ops 6 and Warzone Ranked Console Players Disable Crossplay With PC as Cheating Complaints Ramp Up

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 anti-cheat implementation, admitting that the launch of Season 1 fell short of expectations, especially concerning Ranked Play.

A recent blog post details Activision's comprehensive anti-cheat plan for 2025. Key highlights include:

• Over 136,000 Ranked Play account bans issued since the mode's launch.
• Season 2 enhancements: Improved client and server-side detection systems, plus a major kernel-level driver update.
• Future advancements (Season 3 and beyond): A new system designed to authenticate legitimate players and effectively target cheaters. Specific details are withheld to prevent cheat developers from exploiting the new technology.

Crucially for console players, Season 2 will introduce the ability to disable crossplay in Ranked Play for Black Ops 6 and Warzone. This addresses a long-standing player request, as PC players are widely considered to be the primary source of cheating in the game. Console players have routinely disabled crossplay in standard Multiplayer modes; this update extends that option to Ranked Play. Activision will monitor the impact of this change and consider further adjustments to maintain game integrity.

Despite Activision's efforts, skepticism remains among the community. Cheating has been a significant challenge for Activision since the rise of Warzone in 2020, prompting substantial investment in anti-cheat technology and legal action against cheat developers, with several recent high-profile victories.

Prior to Black Ops 6's release, Activision stated its goal of banning cheaters within an hour of their first match. The game launched with an updated Ricochet kernel-level driver (also implemented in Warzone), incorporating new machine-learning systems to swiftly detect and analyze gameplay, focusing on counteracting aimbots. Activision emphasizes the sophisticated and organized nature of cheat developers, highlighting their continuous efforts to circumvent anti-cheat measures. However, Activision remains confident in its ability to identify and remove these cheaters, using the cheaters' own actions to track them down.