Call of Duty Season 2: Ricochet Anti-Cheat Targets Cronus & XIM, Ranked Play Secured

This caught my attention because Season 2 pairs technical muscle (kernel drivers + Microsoft attestation) with targeted hardware detections – a shift from chasing software cheats to stopping tampered inputs at the door. For competitive CoD players, that could finally make Ranked Play feel like skill again instead of script-run roulette.

Call of Duty Season 2: Anti-Cheat Overhaul for Ranked Play and Warzone

• Season 2 expands Ricochet with detections for input-tampering devices (Cronus Zen, XIM Matrix) and adds Microsoft Azure-based remote attestation to block compromised PCs before matching.
• Ranked Play for Black Ops 7 multiplayer and Warzone requires TPM 2.0, Secure Boot and passes pre-match attestation on PC; Ricochet’s kernel driver continues in the loop.
• Activision emphasizes ongoing refinement – detections will be tuned and bans issued in waves, reducing scripted aim/recoil exploits but raising compatibility checks for legit players.

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Publisher|Activision
Release Date|Season 2 (early Feb 2026)
Category|Anti-cheat update / Ranked Play launch
Platform|PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Steam Deck
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What’s actually changing

Ricochet has moved beyond a kernel driver that hunts software cheats. Season 2 adds two major capabilities: signature detection and behavioral flags tuned to retail input adapters (Cronus Zen, XIM) plus a cloud-based remote attestation step powered by Microsoft Azure that validates a PC’s boot and driver integrity before it can join Ranked matches. In plain terms: if your system or attached device looks tampered with, you’ll be excluded from Ranked or flagged for investigation.

Why this matters to competitive players

Ranked Play’s value is fairness. Cronus/XIM devices and similar adapters let users run macros that flatten recoil, automate perfect timing and simulate superhuman aim. Season 2’s mix of pre-match attestation and pattern analytics targets both the hardware and the in-game symptoms – perfect recoil, machine-like shot timing, near-zero aim variance. That should reduce the most egregious exploiters in high-stakes games.

Practical checklist — be Ranked-ready

• Ensure TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot are enabled (modern Intel/AMD platforms; enable in UEFI). Most mainstream rigs support this.
• Keep Windows and drivers updated; avoid unsigned device drivers or third‑party input mapping tools (reWASD, unofficial overlays).
• Disconnect any ambiguous USB adapters before queuing—hardware like Cronus Zen/XIM will trigger detections and risk account action.
• If attestation fails, update BIOS, clear/re-initialize TPM if needed, and retest in non-Ranked lobbies first.

Where to be skeptical

This is a strong technical step, but it’s not magic. Remote attestation blocks compromised systems pre-match only for Ranked on PC — casual lobbies and some consoles rely more on input-pattern detection. False positives can happen (unusual but legit controller macros, niche drivers), and privacy-minded players will ask how attestation data is handled. Activision says detections will be refined weekly; the efficacy depends on that tuning and transparent appeals for flagged accounts.

Meta effects and predictions

Expect cleaner high-rank matches and a short-term spike in reported hardware bans and account suspensions. That may reduce queue noise and push exploit-reliant players out of Ranked. However, we’ll see countermeasures evolve — cheaters adapt. The Microsoft partnership raises the bar for attackers but also locks competitive integrity to platform-level checks (TPM/Secure Boot), which could trip older systems.

What this means for you

If you’re serious about Ranked: update firmware, enable TPM/Secure Boot, and remove any third-party input devices. If you stream or mod input devices for accessibility, document your setup and be ready to appeal if flagged. For the average player, Season 2 should make matches feel fairer — but remain vigilant about false positives and platform requirements.

TL;DR — Key insights

Season 2 finally pairs kernel-level Ricochet detection with Microsoft-backed attestation to stop tampered systems from entering Ranked Play on PC and to better detect hardware-based macros on all platforms. It’s a meaningful upgrade for competitive integrity, but success depends on ongoing tuning and clear handling of edge cases. Do the firmware and OS prep now if you want a clean shot at the leaderboards.