Highlights
- Black Ops 7 beta requires TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot on PC to enforce strict anti-cheat measures.
- Activision encourages cheaters to test the beta, using the opportunity to strengthen its RICOCHET Anti-Cheat system.
- Any account banned for cheating in the beta will face permanent bans across all Call of Duty titles.
Stricter PC requirements for fair play
Activision has announced that players will need TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot enabled on their PCs to participate in the Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 beta and at launch. Similar to Battlefield 6, these security features prevent modified hardware and unauthorised software from compromising the game.
The beta opens on 2 October for early access players and 5 October for open beta participants. Activision recommends enabling TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot in advance to ensure readiness.
Anti-cheat measures and RICOCHET upgrades
The RICOCHET Anti-Cheat system has been upgraded for Black Ops 7, combining hardware-level verification with advanced detection of cheats, including aimbots and wall hacks. Activision explained that these new measures include remote verification via Microsoft Azure servers, providing stronger validation than local PC checks.
“Cheaters will try to test the limits during the Beta. That’s exactly what we want because #TeamRICOCHET is here, watching, learning, and removing them as they appear,” Activision said.
Any account banned during the beta will be permanently barred across all Call of Duty games, from Modern Warfare to future releases.
Challenges for PC players
Enabling Secure Boot can be technically demanding for some players, as it involves accessing the BIOS, converting Windows drives to GPT format, and updating firmware. To assist, Activision has released guides for the top 10 motherboard manufacturers to simplify the process.
Despite these hurdles, the company emphasised that TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot are non-negotiable foundations of its layered anti-cheat system, designed to maintain a fair and secure gaming environment for all players.
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Cheating in Call of Duty: An ongoing battle
Call of Duty has long struggled with cheating, particularly in Warzone. Activision has spent years combating cheaters, including legal action against cheat developers. The Black Ops 7 beta provides a controlled environment to observe and block cheaters before the full launch, ensuring the integrity of competitive play.
“This creates a tougher environment for cheats to operate in and ensures that the protections these features detect cannot be bypassed or spoofed,” Activision said, highlighting the system’s most advanced anti-cheat protections to date.
