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 the option to disable crossplay with PC 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 significant backlash against Activision. The company's anti-cheat division, Team Ricochet, 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 that 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, alongside a major 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 on this new system are being withheld to prevent cheat developers from exploiting the technology.

A key immediate change for Season 2 is the introduction of console crossplay disabling in Ranked Play for Black Ops 6 and Warzone. This allows console players to compete exclusively against other console players, addressing concerns that a significant portion of cheating originates from PC players. This feature has long been available in standard Multiplayer modes and is now extended to Ranked Play. Activision will closely monitor the impact of this change and consider further adjustments to maintain the integrity of the competitive environment.

While Activision's anti-cheat efforts are frequently met with skepticism from the community, the company has invested heavily in its Ricochet anti-cheat technology and pursued legal action against cheat developers, achieving notable successes. Prior to Black Ops 6's launch, Activision aimed to ban cheaters within an hour of their first match, implementing updated kernel-level drivers and machine-learning systems to accelerate detection and identify aimbot usage. The company acknowledges the sophisticated nature of cheat developers, emphasizing their ongoing efforts to identify and remove cheaters from the game.