It was as predictable as a sunrise, and just as unwelcome. The highly anticipated beta for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 went live yesterday for players with early access, and within mere hours, the game was already being swarmed by cheaters. Social media platforms were quickly flooded with clips showcasing blatant aimbots, wallhacks, and other exploits, leading to a familiar wave of frustration and disappointment from the community.
A Bad Look, Despite New Defenses
This year’s beta was supposed to be different. Activision had made a point of touting its new and improved security measures. For the first time, PC players were required to have both TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot enabled on their systems, features designed to block unauthorized software and create a more secure environment. This was supposed to be a significant barrier to entry for cheaters. Unfortunately, it seems to have been little more than a speed bump.
Clips from prominent streamers and regular players alike showed opponents snapping to targets with impossible speed and tracking players through walls. The sentiment online quickly soured, with many fans decrying the situation. “This can’t be happening… ALREADY,” exclaimed one popular streamer. The situation led many console players to immediately dive into the settings and turn off crossplay to avoid the PC player pool, a common, if unfortunate, reaction to rampant cheating in new releases.
All Part of the Plan?
Surprisingly, Activision seems to be taking this all in stride. In a blog post published just before the beta went live, the company stated that it fully expected cheaters to “test the limits” of their systems. In fact, they claimed, “That’s exactly what we want.” Their anti-cheat division, Team RICOCHET, is using the beta as a live-fire exercise, monitoring cheaters, gathering data, and learning from their methods to strengthen their defenses for the game’s full launch in November.
Activision has also stated that the full force of its upgraded RICOCHET anti-cheat system is not yet active in the beta. The system is being “dynamically scaled,” meaning its strength and features are being turned on and off for testing purposes. This means that while the current situation is frustrating, it isn’t necessarily representative of what the final game will be like. The publisher has also issued a stern warning: any account permanently banned for cheating during the beta will be banned from all Call of Duty titles, past, present, and future.
An Unwinnable War?
The situation highlights the never-ending arms race between game developers and cheat creators. While new security measures like TPM 2.0 can help, they are not a silver bullet. The problem is so pervasive that rival shooter Battlefield 6 is facing the exact same issue in its own open beta. For now, the community is left to hope that the data gathered during this frustrating beta period will lead to a cleaner experience at launch. It’s a bitter pill to swallow, but it seems to be a necessary part of the modern AAA multiplayer release cycle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are there so many cheaters in the Black Ops 7 beta?
Despite new security measures, cheat developers have been able to quickly create and distribute exploits for the beta. This is a common occurrence for major multiplayer game launches.
Is Activision doing anything about the cheaters?
Yes. According to Activision, they are using the beta as an opportunity to study and ban cheaters to improve their anti-cheat systems for the full launch. Their anti-cheat team, Team RICOCHET, is actively monitoring the game.
Are the new anti-cheat measures working?
While some cheaters have clearly gotten through, Activision states that the full version of their upgraded RICOCHET anti-cheat is not yet active in the beta. The mandatory use of TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot on PC is a new defensive layer, but its ultimate effectiveness remains to be seen.
Is cheating only a problem on PC?
Cheating is far more prevalent on PC, which is why many console players choose to turn off crossplay. However, cheating can exist on consoles as well, though it is much rarer.
What will happen to the cheaters who are caught?
Any account that is permanently banned for cheating during the beta will be banned from all current and future Call of Duty games.
Conclusion
The immediate infestation of cheaters in the Black Ops 7 beta is a frustrating but, sadly, unsurprising chapter in the ongoing saga of online gaming. While Activision’s proactive stance and use of the beta as a data-gathering tool offer some hope, it does little to soothe the frustration of players whose first experience with the new game was ruined. The real test will come on November 14, when the full game launches and we see just how much Team RICOCHET learned from this chaotic opening battle.