Call of Duty is stepping up its fight against cheaters in a big way, just ahead of the launch of Ranked Play in Season 02 for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 and Call of Duty: Warzone.

🛡️ Call of Duty: #BlackOps7 | Call of Duty: #Warzone

A message from #TeamRICOCHET:

When Ranked Play launches in Season 02, RICOCHET Anti-Cheat will introduce a stronger form of remote, cloud-based attestation. This additional layer of protection works before a match begins and…

— Call of Duty Updates (@CODUpdates) January 15, 2026

The game’s RICOCHET Anti-Cheat team has confirmed a stronger, cloud-based security system is coming, designed to stop cheaters before a match even begins. For competitive players, this could be one of the most important updates Call of Duty has rolled out in years.

A New Security Layer Before Matches Start

According to the RICOCHET Anti-Cheat team, Ranked Play in Season 02 will introduce remote, cloud-based attestation, an extra layer of protection that checks a player’s PC integrity before loading into a match.

This new system builds on existing requirements like TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot, but goes further by using Microsoft Azure Attestation to verify that system-level protections have not been tampered with.

RICOCHET describes this as the most robust attestation technology available today, setting what it calls a new security bar for one of Call of Duty’s most competitive modes.

Why This Matters For Ranked Play

Cheating has long been a major frustration in competitive playlists, especially in high-skill modes tied closely to esports standards. By verifying PC integrity before a match starts, the new system aims to block cheats that attempt to bypass low-level protections.

This approach is being introduced first in Ranked Play, giving competitive players the most secure experience possible. Casual modes are not part of this rollout for now, but the focus on Ranked shows where Call of Duty sees the biggest risk and impact.

Most Players Will Not Need To Change Anything

The good news for most PC players is that no extra setup should be required. The RICOCHET team says the majority of systems are already compliant with the new checks.

However, players are encouraged to double-check their settings ahead of Season 02 to avoid last-minute issues. Those who do need help can follow Activision’s official guides to ensure everything is enabled correctly.

TPM 2.0 And Secure Boot Explained

TPM 2.0, or Trusted Platform Module 2.0, is a hardware-based security feature built into modern PCs running Windows. Secure Boot works alongside it, ensuring only trusted software loads during startup.

Both features help protect against low-level cheats and are now mandatory for playing Black Ops 7 and Warzone on PC. These requirements were first introduced during Season 05 in August 2025.

Players without TPM 2.0 enabled may see an in-game warning when launching the game. In some cases, a BIOS firmware update may be required, especially on older motherboards.

Windows 11 users likely already have both features enabled by default. Windows 10 players must be running version 22H2 or later, with TPM 2.0 fully active. Legacy TPM versions, such as 1.0 or 1.2, are not supported.

Strong Results So Far In Black Ops 7

For the Black Ops 7 cycle, Activision has clearly made anti-cheat a top priority. During the Black Ops 7 beta, the publisher claimed that 97 percent of hackers were detected and banned within 30 minutes of signing in.

With cloud-based attestation now joining Secure Boot and TPM 2.0, Activision is hoping to reduce cheating even further, particularly in modes that mirror professional competition.

Season 02 Launch Date And What’s Coming

Based on the in-game Battle Pass countdown, Season 02 for Black Ops 7 and Warzone is set to launch on February 5, 2026.

The update will introduce Ranked Play across multiplayer and battle royale, offering an experience designed to reflect the structure and rules of the Call of Duty League and major Warzone tournaments.

With stronger anti-cheat measures stopping cheaters before matches begin, all eyes will be on whether Ranked Play can finally deliver a consistently fair and competitive environment.

The post Call of Duty Introduces Stronger Anti Cheat To Stop Cheaters Before Ranked Matches appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Activision’s war on cheaters is showing early success. The company has confirmed that its upgraded Ricochet Anti-Cheat system caught 97% of cheaters within just 30 minutes of signing in during the Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 early access beta.

https://t.co/Mm4tUNVspc

— Call of Duty Updates (@CODUpdates) October 5, 2025

According to Activision, the new anti-cheat technology has been more efficient than ever before, using stronger TPM 2.0 checks and automated detection systems to prevent hackers from ruining the game. “Cheaters were expected,” the team said, “but our upgraded systems caught them faster than ever.”

In the first two days of beta testing, fewer than 1% of cheating attempts even made it into a match. Those who slipped through were removed within minutes. Activision said most of the accounts shown in viral clips had already been banned before the videos reached social media.

“This is just the beginning,” the publisher added. “When launch arrives, every layer of protection will be in full force, and Ricochet’s defences will only grow stronger.”

Cheat Sellers Hit Hard

Activision isn’t just targeting cheaters in-game. The publisher has also cracked down on cheat vendors, with major providers now labelling their products as “unusable” or “detected.” Some resellers have even admitted they no longer have any working tools for Black Ops 7.

Beyond banning players, Activision said it has contributed to the shutdown of more than 40 cheat developers and resellers since Black Ops 6 launched. “We’re not only disabling their cheats, but also their illegal businesses as well,” the Ricochet team wrote.

The publisher warned that vendors caught sharing cheat-related clips during the beta were already under investigation and would face further consequences beyond game bans.

Player Reports Still Matter

While the Ricochet system now handles most detection automatically, Activision stressed that player reports remain vital. Feedback from players helps the system improve its detection accuracy and adapt faster to new exploits.

The update also addressed the introduction of new PC security requirements like TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot checks. Activision acknowledged that these may feel inconvenient but said they’re essential for maintaining fair play. Players having trouble setting up their systems can follow a detailed step-by-step guide on the official Activision Support page.

Mixed Reactions from the Community

Despite the strong results, not every player is convinced. Some fans have reported still encountering cheaters in the beta, questioning whether the bans have lasting effects. “Detection alone doesn’t solve the problem if cheaters face minimal consequences or return within hours,” one fan wrote on social media.

Others claim cheat developers have already found ways to adapt, with one user saying, “It took them only five minutes to make Black Ops 6 cheats work on Black Ops 7.”

Even so, Activision’s numbers and ongoing enforcement suggest a more robust system than in past titles. With the Call of Duty League set to return in 2026, maintaining competitive integrity is likely to remain a major focus for the publisher.

Activision insists that its fight against cheating is an industry-wide challenge—and one it’s determined to lead. As the full release of Black Ops 7 draws closer, the Ricochet Anti-Cheat team plans to keep evolving its systems, responding faster, and refining defences to keep every match fair.

The post Activision’s Ricochet Anti-Cheat Stops 97% of Hackers in Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Beta appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

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.

The post Ricochet Anti-Cheat Powers Up for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Beta appeared first on Shane the Gamer.