Activision is stepping up its anti-cheat game by requiring PC players to have Secure Boot enabled to play Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. This Windows security feature helps block unauthorized software from running during startup, giving Activision a better shot at catching cheaters using banned hardware or software.
Secure Boot isn’t new, EA used it for Battlefield 6, and players had trouble launching the game without it enabled. Enabling Secure Boot can be tricky depending on your PC’s manufacturer, so Black Ops 6 players are about to face similar headaches before Black Ops 7 even drops.
Black Ops 6 Introduces Secure Boot Ahead of Black Ops 7
Starting with Black Ops 6 Season 5 on August 7, PC players need Secure Boot enabled to play. Activision said, “Secure Boot makes cheating at a hardware level much more difficult, making sure cleaner PCs at start and allowing for more trusted environments for RICOCHET Anti-Cheat to operate in.”
If you’re scratching your head on how to turn on Secure Boot, Activision has a guide for it. Without enabling it, you won’t get into Black Ops 6 or Black Ops 7 when it launches later this year. Activision also urges players to lock down their accounts with email verification and two-factor authentication. They’re cracking down on boosting and teaming in Black Ops 6 multiplayer and Warzone Ranked Play, cutting off 22 cheat developers recently. Wow, that’s some serious effort!