Black Ops 7 RICOCHET Anti-Cheat Season 2 Update Targets Cronus Zen and XIM Matrix

Season 2 of Black Ops 7 and Warzone arrives with teeth.

Activision dropped a blog post detailing new RICOCHET Anti-Cheat measures targeting input-modifying devices. Cronus Zen and XIM Matrix are in the crosshairs. These hardware cheats have plagued competitive shooters for years, giving players machine-perfect recoil control and amplified aim assist beyond human capability.

The update rolls out now.

RICOCHET has evolved past software-only detection. The Season 2 system analyses input timing, consistency, and response patterns to spot behaviour that exceeds natural human limits. When your aim snaps with inhuman precision or recoil vanishes entirely, the system flags you.

New detections target devices that simulate machine-perfect aim and recoil control, removing advantages no human player can naturally achieve , according to the development team. These aren't accessibility tools. They're performance enhancers designed to exploit game mechanics.

The problem with Cronus Zen and XIM Matrix goes beyond traditional aimbots. They're sold openly in major retail stores. That accessibility has created confusion about whether they're legitimate. Activision's stance is now crystal clear: these devices violate security policy and count as cheating tools.

How the Detection Works

Previous anti-cheat systems looked for specific hardware signatures. Cronus and XIM devices can reconfigure endlessly, making signature-based detection useless. RICOCHET's new approach sidesteps this problem entirely.

The system analyses input timing, consistency, and response patterns to distinguish natural human play from machine-modified input . Think of how a mouse moves when a human controls recoil versus a script doing the work. Humans have micro-adjustments, slight delays, imperfect timing. Scripts execute with machine precision.

The detections identify recoil patterns and aim tracking that no standard controller or mouse can physically produce. XIM Matrix tricks consoles into thinking a mouse is a controller, letting players abuse aim assist with mouse precision. Cronus Zen runs custom scripts that eliminate recoil and automate complex button sequences.

Both give unfair advantages across all platforms.

Ranked Play Gets Extra Protection

Ranked Play launches in Season 2 with Microsoft Azure Attestation backing the anti-cheat. This cloud-based verification checks PC integrity before matches start. Remote, cloud-based attestation strengthens protection for Ranked Play by blocking tampered systems before matches begin .

The system builds on existing requirements. PC players already need TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot enabled. These hardware security features verify system integrity at boot. The new attestation adds another layer, confirming no tampering occurred between boot and match start.

Console players benefit too. Cross-play protections share backend detection systems across all platforms. If you're flagged on PlayStation, that data informs detection on Xbox and PC.

The Accessibility Question

Some players claim these devices serve accessibility needs. Activision addressed this directly in their announcement.

Accessibility is important to us and to our community. Call of Duty includes a range of in-game options and supported hardware to accommodate different needs . The problem is Cronus Zen and XIM Matrix aren't designed for accessibility. They're engineered to manipulate game inputs for competitive advantage.

Legitimate accessibility devices work with the game's systems. They don't bypass recoil mechanics or amplify aim assist beyond design parameters. The distinction matters.

What Happens Next

Season 2 targets the most common device configurations as a starting point. The detections will evolve and expand. These systems are designed to evolve, adapt, and expand until input modification devices no longer provide an advantage in Call of Duty .

RICOCHET's machine learning models trained on millions of gameplay hours from Black Ops 6. They're designed to recognise new cheating patterns as they emerge. Each ban forces cheaters to adjust tactics, giving the system more data to refine detection.

During the Black Ops 7 beta, the team cut median detection time to under three matches. Nearly 99% of beta matches remained cheater-free. Those metrics represent the strongest anti-cheat results in franchise history.

The fight isn't finished. Activision has sent cease-and-desist notices to Cronus manufacturers before. The devices remain available. Hardware bans only work when detection keeps pace with new configurations and workarounds.

Season 2 drops with multiple maps, modes, and weapons alongside the anti-cheat improvements. The update size will be substantial. Clear storage space before launch day.

Players who encounter suspicious behaviour should use in-game reporting tools. Every report feeds data back into the detection systems, helping refine what cheating looks like across millions of matches.

RICOCHET Anti-Cheat operates only while protected Call of Duty titles run. The kernel-level driver boots when you launch the game and shuts down when you exit. It monitors software interacting with Call of Duty titles, not your entire system.

Privacy concerns balanced against competitive integrity. The trade-off gives most players cleaner matches without