Activision promises improved Anti-Cheat Measures for Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

After a successful launch in October 2024 that shattered franchise records, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is now facing what many are calling the biggest downfall in the series' history. Server crashes, persistent bugs, and an ever-present cheating issue have significantly tanked the game’s popularity.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 has a Cheater Problem?

One of the most pressing criticisms of Black Ops 6 is its rampant cheating. The Call of Duty subreddit is flooded with complaints, highlighting the frustration among players.

A widely discussed post titled, “I’m done with COD: BLACK OPS 6 IS riddled with cheaters,” illustrates the problem vividly:

"My two teammates and I report players, and on average, we receive six cheat confirmations daily."

Former COD pro and 100 Thieves CEO, Nadeshot, also criticized the game’s state. He noted that at least 10 of the top 250 players are confirmed cheaters, undermining competitive integrity.

Such incidents have driven content creators and players away from Black Ops 6 to newer titles like Marvel Rivals. Nadeshot himself has shifted his focus, streaming Marvel Rivals extensively.

The impact is evident in the numbers. The game’s active player count on Steam has plummeted from a peak of 315,000 to just 76,000 in three months. The community has even rallied for Activision to disable crossplay to avoid cheaters from other platforms.

Activision's Community Update addresses the cheating problem

With Season 02 fast approaching, Activision released a Community Update addressing the criticism. The update, delivered by RICOCHET Anti-Cheat, outlined new measures aimed at combating cheaters and improving the player experience.

The game now employs a better detection model that relies on hardware identifiers and account trust to target serial cheaters.

With Season 02, the kernel-level driver will also receive a major update.  RICOCHET also plans to deploy a new and improved client and server-side detection system. These systems will be updated further in Season 03.

• Season 02:
  • New and improved client and server-side detections and systems
  • Major kernel-level driver update
    • Improvements to driver security
    • Reinforced encryption process
  • New tampering detection system
• Season 03 and beyond:
  • A multitude of new tech including a brand-new system to authenticate legit players and target cheaters
    • Note: As we get closer to S03 we’ll dive a little deeper on these systems; however, it’s important we don’t provide too many details that could give cheat developers a peek behind the curtain

According to Activision, these measures along with legal actions against illegal cheat sellers will “provide a demonstrably healthier gameplay experience going forward.” 

The Community Update also dives into other problems faced by the community and how Activision plans to address it.

Stay Tuned on Strafe for a comprehensive cover of the said update. You can also read the update on Call of Duty Updates X or Call of Duty Blog.

Featured Image Credits: Activision // Call of Duty

Read More:Call of Duty announces New Black Ops 6 Zombies map “The Tomb”