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 introducing crossplay disabling options for console 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, prompted considerable backlash against Activision. Activision's Team Ricochet, responsible for anti-cheat technology, acknowledged shortcomings in the initial Season 1 rollout, stating that their anti-cheat measures fell short of expectations, especially within Ranked Play.

A recent blog post details Activision's 2025 anti-cheat roadmap. This includes the revelation of over 136,000 account bans issued for Ranked Play violations since its launch. Season 2 will see improved client-side and server-side detection systems, alongside a major kernel-level driver update. Further enhancements, 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 withheld to prevent cheat developers from exploiting the technology.

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 the widely held belief that a significant portion of cheating originates from PC players, a concern that has led console players to routinely disable crossplay in standard multiplayer modes for years.

Activision assures continued monitoring and potential future adjustments to maintain game integrity, promising further updates as the crossplay disabling feature nears release.

While Activision's anti-cheat efforts are often met with skepticism from the community, the company's commitment is evident in its substantial investment in anti-cheat technology and legal action against cheat developers, including several recent high-profile victories. Prior to Black Ops 6's launch, Activision stated a 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 and behavioral analysis systems to rapidly detect and address aimbots. Activision highlights the sophisticated and organized nature of cheat developers, emphasizing their ongoing efforts to identify and remove these individuals from the game.