Activision, the publisher and developer of the Call of Duty games, is taking a firm stand against cheating in its popular military shooter titles. The company has introduced a new anti-cheat feature called ‘Ricochet’ which will shut down the game if cheating is detected.

The use of cheating devices and programs has been a longstanding issue in the gaming industry, especially in competitive gaming. Activision’s move to implement stricter measures comes as a response to the prevalence of cheating in games like Call of Duty.

Under the new Ricochet feature, if the anti-cheating system detects mouse and keyboard players using aim assist, the specific game will be shut down. This applies to Call of Duty: Warzone, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.

Prior to the introduction of Ricochet, cheating players faced less severe repercussions, such as immediate in-game deaths when jumping from any height. The new system represents a significant escalation in the company’s efforts to combat cheating in its games.

Activision’s decision to target mouse and keyboard players using aim assist is rooted in the fact that aim assist is intended for use with controllers, not with mouse and keyboard. By illicitly enabling aim assist, these players gain an unfair advantage over others, constituting cheating.

While some have called for stricter measures, such as outright bans for cheaters, Activision has historically relied on systems like Ricochet to address the issue. However, this approach has been criticized for being too lenient, akin to a ‘light slap on the wrist’ for offenders.