With Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 and Warzone Season 02 right around the corner, Activision is making it clear where its priorities are with Ricochet Anti-Cheat: protecting Ranked Play and cracking down on input-modifying devices that undermine competitive integrity.
Ranked Play lives and dies on trust. Players queue up expecting matches to be decided by gun skill, positioning, teamwork, and decision-making. When cheating enters the equation, that trust disappears quickly. According to the Ricochet team, the upcoming Season 02 update is designed to make sure Ranked Play starts and stays on level ground from the very first match.
One of the biggest areas of focus is unapproved third-party hardware, specifically devices like Cronus Zen and XIM Matrix. These tools modify player inputs to create advantages that simply aren’t possible through normal controller or mouse use. Perfect recoil control, near-flawless aim tracking, and reaction times that don’t feel human are all common red flags for players who suspect something isn’t right.
Ranked Play Gets Stronger Anti-Cheat Protections in Season 02
In Ranked Play, the stakes are higher. Cheating doesn’t just cost a win. It affects Skill Rating, disrupts progression, and chips away at confidence in the mode itself. That’s why RICOCHET’s new detections are being rolled out with Ranked Play front and center.
For Season 02, Ricochet is introducing expanded detection systems designed specifically to identify machine-modified inputs. Rather than looking for a specific device plugged into a system, the anti-cheat analyzes how inputs behave. Timing, consistency, and response patterns are examined to determine whether gameplay reflects natural human behavior or something being assisted behind the scenes.
This approach is critical because devices like Cronus Zen and XIM Matrix are built to evolve. They change configurations, hide their presence, and avoid simple detection methods. By focusing on behavior instead of hardware signatures, Ricochet aims to stay ahead as those devices adapt.
Alongside the crackdown on mod devices, Season 02 also brings significantly stronger protections for Ranked Play on PC. Ricochet is adding a new layer of remote, cloud-based system verification before matches even begin. Built on existing Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 requirements, this added security works to block tampered systems from entering Ranked Play in the first place.
The idea is simple: stop cheating before it ever reaches the lobby. Most players won’t need to adjust anything, as compliant systems should already meet the requirements. For those who do run into issues, Activision says tools are available to help players verify their setup ahead of time.
Activision also addressed ongoing confusion around mod devices being sold at major retailers. Despite how they’re marketed, these devices are not allowed in Call of Duty. The company reiterated that while accessibility remains important, these tools are not designed to support accessibility needs and instead exist to give players an unfair competitive edge.
Season 02’s Ricochet update isn’t being positioned as a final solution, but rather a foundation. The systems being introduced are designed to evolve over time, expanding detections and tightening protections until input-modifying devices no longer offer an advantage.
For Ranked Play, that foundation matters. Fair matches, earned wins, and trust in the ladder are what keep competitive modes alive. With Season 02, Ricochet is taking a more aggressive step toward protecting all three.
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Mike has been covering the gaming industry since 2012, and has reported on some of the largest events in the industry while also working as an investigative reporter. Outside of…
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