Call of Duty's anti-cheat is arguably in the best place it's been in a long time. With recent updates, cheaters have been booted more times than none, and now external sources are in focus. On console, Cronus Zens have been a problem, enabling aim-locking and more. Now, that's going to be a priority, and we're all for it. Check out the update blog below for more intel.
Season 02 is almost here, and our top priority is clear: launching Ranked Play with the strongest protections possible, so matches are decided by player skill, not exploits.
To that end, we’re focused on making sure that players in these matches are using trusted, secure systems on both console and PC. We’re achieving this by investing in major technology innovations in our anti-cheat systems and our security technology stack.
As Ranked Play approaches, #TeamRICOCHET is focused on a known source of disruption across competitive play on every platform: unapproved third-party hardware, such as Cronus Zen and XIM Matrix. These devices alter player inputs in ways that create unfair advantages, and they pose a persistent frustration to players.
We know what an unfair match looks like: losing a close gunfight to aim that never seems to miss, recoil that never kicks, or reactions that don’t feel human. In Ranked Play, cheating can cost more than a win. It impacts Skill Rating (SR), momentum in your session, and confidence in the mode.
For Season 02, we're introducing a new suite of RICOCHET Anti-Cheat detections to target illicit devices and accounts that use them to cheat. These updates build on the anti-cheat systems that are already delivering strong results across Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 and Call of Duty: Warzone, adding another layer of protection where it matters most.
Ranked Play demands trust and fair competition. It’s meant to reward skill and teamwork. Addressing these devices is a critical step.
These Season 02 updates are focused on making sure your first match - and every match after - is played on equal footing.
Season 02 at a glance:
- Disabling Cronus Zen and XIM Matrix: New detections target these input-modifying devices that simulate machine-perfect aim and recoil control, removing advantages no human player can naturally achieve.
- Ranked Play Protections: New remote, cloud-based attestation with Microsoft strengthens protection for Ranked Play by blocking tampered systems before matches begin, setting a new industry standard in security.
Stronger Protections for Ranked Play
When Ranked Play launches in Season 02, RICOCHET Anti-Cheat will introduce a stronger form of remote, cloud-based attestation. This additional layer works before a match begins and builds on existing TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot requirements, setting a new industry standard for security.
This approach verifies PC integrity using Microsoft Azure Attestation, directly countering attempts to bypass system-level protections. It’s the most robust attestation technology available in gaming and bringing it first to Ranked Play helps ensure competitive matches are won on merit. These added protections help stop cheating before a match even begins, so games feel fair from the start.
Most players won’t need to change any settings. The majority of our players’ PCs are already compliant. But checking your system ahead of time helps avoid interruptions while supporting a fair experience for everyone.
If you do need help checking your PC, our Secure Attestation Wizard can help you confirm whether everything is configured correctly and offer guidance if anything needs adjustment quickly and easily.
Taking Aim at Unapproved Input Modification Devices
Unapproved third-party devices like Cronus Zen and XIM Matrix have no place in Call of Duty. Stopping these devices takes more than looking for a specific piece of hardware because they are designed to hide, adapt, and change configurations to avoid simple detection.
They can be found at big box retailers, which has led to confusion around whether players are allowed to use them. To be clear: These devices are not permitted in Call of Duty. They are cheating tools, even if they masquerade as accessibility devices.
These devices provide unfair advantages that exploit aim assist and make players question whether they’re losing to a stronger competitor or to a cheater. They disrupt fair play, and they’re a violation of Activision’s Security and Enforcement policy.
Accessibility is important to us and to our community. Call of Duty includes a range of in-game options and supported hardware to accommodate different needs. But these devices are not here to help with accessibility. They exist to give cheaters an edge over players competing fairly, and that does not align with our standards for fair play.
How These Detections Work
Our Season 02 detections focus on how inputs behave, not which device is plugged in. We analyze input timing, consistency, and response patterns to distinguish natural human play from machine-modified input. This allows us to identify recoil control, aim behavior, and input precision that exceed what is physically possible through a standard controller or mouse.
Because devices like Cronus Zen and XIM Matrix are highly configurable, there is no single signature to block. Instead, these detections are built to recognize classes of machine-driven behavior, even as configurations change.
In Season 02, we are targeting the most widely used configurations as a starting point. These systems are designed to evolve, adapt, and expand until input modification devices no longer provide an advantage in Call of Duty.
This is not a one-and-done solution, and we want to be clear about that. These updates establish a foundation that RICOCHET Anti-Cheat will continue to build on until these devices no longer work across Call of Duty.
Looking Ahead
Cheating can take many forms, and addressing it requires constant adaptation. RICOCHET Anti-Cheat's protections have kept the vast majority of Black Ops 7 and Call of Duty: Warzone matches cheater-free since launch. For most players, that means matches continue to play out without ever encountering a cheater.
As the season rolls out, we’ll keep refining our tools, responding quickly to cheating, and sharing updates as we go.
Follow @CODUpdates on X for real-time updates, information from upcoming Progress Reports, and more. You can also find us on Reddit as u/RICOCHETcm.
Stay tuned to GamingTrend for more Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 news and info!
