Activision Expands Anti-Cheat Measures Ahead of Black Ops 7
Activision has rolled out a major update to Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Warzone with the arrival of Season 5 Reloaded, changing how shadowbans are handled and communicated to players. For the first time, those placed into a limited matchmaking pool will now receive an in-game message notifying them of the restriction.
Previously, players had no clear indication whether they were shadowbanned or if a party member triggered the limited matchmaking pool. Now, Activision confirms that not only the individual but the entire party will be notified if matchmaking is impacted by a shadowban.
What Shadowbans Mean in Call of Duty
Shadowbans differ from permanent bans. Being placed into a limited matchmaking pool does not confirm cheating, but instead flags an account for further review. According to Activision, this status typically arises after multiple reports from other players.
If cheating is confirmed during the investigation, the player will face a permanent ban. If not, the shadowban will be lifted, and the account will return to normal matchmaking. This system gives developers time to analyze suspicious behavior without immediately locking players out of the game.
Season 5 Reloaded Expands Security Features
Alongside the shadowban notification change, Activision also expanded its Ricochet anti-cheat system with stronger PC-level protections. Both Secure Boot and Trusted Platform Module (TPM 2.0) were added to Black Ops 6 and Warzone with the latest update.
- Secure Boot ensures that only trusted software is loaded during system startup.
- TPM 2.0 checks for malicious hardware modifications, adding another safeguard against cheaters using unauthorized tools.
These features will also be standard at launch for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7.
Looking Ahead to Black Ops 7
With Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 just two months away, Activision is clearly stepping up its security efforts across the franchise. The next major reveal is set for September 30, when the annual COD Next event returns. Players can expect in-depth previews of Multiplayer, Zombies, and Warzone integration during the showcase.
