Activision has been fighting a losing battle against cheaters in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Call of Duty: Warzone. Despite the Season 2 update promising to address the crisis, hackers are now using tools to disconnect players. ItsHapa posted a video on X of an in-game tool systematically booting opposing players from a match. Eventually, enough players disconnected that the team was forced to forfeit.
Both Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 multiplayer and the free-to-play Warzone are praised for their frantic, action-packed gameplay. That popularity has made the games a tempting target for cheaters hoping to spoil the fun or gain an advantage. Call of Duty cheating also threatens a lucrative esports community, where millions of dollars are at stake.
Responding to constant criticism, Activision recently updated its Ricochet anti-cheat technology. The security measure works at a driver level to intelligently detect the use of aimbots and other hacking techniques. Since Call of Duty: Warzone ranked play launched in December, Activision reportedly banned over 130,000 cheaters. Still, with the powerful tool exposed by ItsHapa, it only takes a handful of culprits to ruin competitive play for everyone.
When Season 2 debuted on January 28th, Activision had hoped the evolved Ricochet anti-cheat would prevent exploits. The company sped up investigations and flagged individuals who played with the same offenders. Console gamers can also choose to not play against competitors on PCs, where most cheating takes place. Nevertheless, the community’s frustration is at an all-time high, as evident by reactions to ItsHapa’s post.
Activision has yet to comment on the specific mass-kicking method causing so much angst. SteamCharts, which combines Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Warzone in one tracker, shows a dramatic drop in players since December. It’s clear that gamers will look for alternative shooters until Call of Duty cheating problems are properly addressed.
I became interested in technology at a young age and enjoyed discovering the latest innovations. While earning college degrees in publishing, I created several PC hardware and gaming websites. My passion has always been to guide readers on what products can truly improve their lives. After many years as a Tech Writer for Game Rant, I’m anxious to share my knowledge with a new audience at Notebookcheck.
