Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is shaking up its anti-cheat strategy in a massive way, introducing mandatory PC security features that aim to slam the door on cheaters, permanently. With a big worldwide reveal coming this August at Gamescom 2024’s Opening Night Live, Activision is already laying the foundation for what could be one of the most secure CoD titles to date.
TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot: The new anti-cheat gatekeepers
Cheaters have long plagued the Call of Duty franchise, especially in Warzone and most recent mainline entries, but Black Ops 7 is going on the offensive with a two-pronged security approach: Trusted Platform Module 2.0 (TPM 2.0) and Secure Boot. And get this: both of these will be required for the game to run on PC, not just recommended.
Let me break it down for you:
- TPM 2.0: This is a hardware-based security measure built into many modern systems. It protects sensitive data and, in this case, ensures the integrity of the game’s runtime environment on Windows.
- Secure Boot: Activates during your PC’s startup process, ensuring that only verified, trusted software is loaded. Translation? It blocks low-level cheats from executing before the game even loads.
Together with the RICOCHET Anti-Cheat system — which already does a solid job of sniffing out bad actors — TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot form a new security trio meant to keep your lobbies cleaner than ever before. And if you’re wondering whether this will slow your rig down, Activision says nope: the features “remain inactive” during gameplay and won’t negatively impact performance.
Black Ops 7 won’t be cheat-optional
Unlike in Warzone and Black Ops 6, where TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot are being added retroactively (but you can still opt out), Black Ops 7 won’t make any exceptions. These features are mandatory if you want to jump into multiplayer on PC. There’s no opt-out: it’s all-in or nothing.
On top of that, starting with Black Ops 6 Season 5, players will begin seeing in-game alerts letting them know whether their systems meet the required security standards. It’s a bit of a heads-up, giving players time to get their setups in order before Black Ops 7 launches in 2025.
A taste of what’s coming at Gamescom
Although we don’t have an official release date yet, we’re inching closer to it. Activision confirmed that a full worldwide reveal for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is set for August 19, during Gamescom 2024’s Opening Night Live. And while the publisher hasn’t specified exactly what’ll be shown, the timeline lines up with previous releases — historically in late October or early November — so we’re likely to get a release date during that event.
Carry Forward feature might be back, and fans are split
There’s also been heavy chatter around the rumoured return of the Carry Forward feature. For those out of the loop, that’s the system that allows you to bring skins and cosmetics from one Call of Duty into the next. In this case, certain Black Ops 6 content might be usable in Black Ops 7.
Reactions are, well, mixed. Some players love the idea of extending the usefulness of their purchases, while others are concerned that some of the more flamboyant skins from BO6 — think gaudy outfits that wouldn’t look out of place in Fortnite — don’t quite match the grittier tone they expect from Black Ops 7.
Activision is done playing around with cheaters
In a nutshell, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is set to be the most secure instalment in franchise history. The days of cheaters slipping through the cracks might finally be numbered, but it’ll come at a cost to players with outdated systems. If your PC doesn’t support TPM 2.0 or Secure Boot, you might be locked out altogether.
That said, Activision’s commitment to fair play is clear. With mandatory hardware-based protection, a reinforced anti-cheat system, and a rapidly growing hype cycle, Black Ops 7 is shaping up to be a shooter worth watching closely.
Stay tuned for more details when the full reveal hits on August 19. Until then, maybe check your system BIOS: you might need it.