Activision is rolling out the next evolution of Ricochet Anti-Cheat with the upcoming Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 beta, promising its strongest protection against cheaters yet.
Team Ricochet confirmed that the system has been rebuilt with new layers of defence designed to block hacks before matches even begin. The Black Ops 7 beta, which runs from 2–8 October 2025, will be the first time players get to experience these updated protections in action.
Early access will be available for those who pre-order from 2–5 October, while everyone else can jump in from 5–8 October. The full game launches worldwide on 14 November 2025.
Ricochet’s New Approach
Ricochet has been a key part of Call of Duty’s battle against cheaters for several years, but Black Ops 7 marks a major step forward. Activision describes the update as its “most sophisticated protection yet,” with a layered defence system aimed at stopping cheats across multiple levels.
The team says this upgrade will make it harder than ever for hackers to slip through the cracks, raising the bar for fair play in online matches.
Why It Matters
Cheating has been a constant issue for the series, with tens of thousands of players banned in Black Ops 6 alone. Despite regular updates, many fans felt hackers continued to undermine the multiplayer experience.
Ricochet’s overhaul in Black Ops 7 is designed to restore confidence, particularly in competitive and esports scenes where integrity is critical. The improvements follow recent action from Ricochet that saw over 55,000 cheaters impacted by new mitigations targeting third-party devices.
Looking Ahead
Activision says this is just the beginning. With Ricochet now upgraded and ready for Black Ops 7, the publisher plans to keep evolving its systems to stay ahead of cheaters.
“The cheating landscape is always evolving – and so are our defences,” Team Ricochet said in its announcement.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 will be the first full release to feature the new Ricochet Anti-Cheat at launch, setting the stage for what could be the fairest multiplayer experience in the franchise yet.