Activision's Call of Duty: Black Ops Ports Struck by Cheaters

Activision recently brought back Call of Duty: Black Ops and Black Ops 2 for PS4 and PS5, offering fans a trip down memory lane. Unfortunately, these rereleases are straightforward ports with no enhancements. Despite this, players around the globe eagerly purchased both titles at $40 each, seeking the nostalgia of classic Call of Duty multiplayer action. However, just days after launch, the experience has been marred by a surge of cheaters and hackers.

While it’s common knowledge that earlier versions of Black Ops had their fair share of cheating issues across all platforms, Activision had reassured players that the new releases would operate on entirely new servers. This sparked hope that the classic games could be enjoyed free from the usual disruptions caused by cheaters. Sadly, this optimism has quickly turned to disappointment, as reports of cheating have surfaced just four days post-release.

One particularly disruptive hack has been noted in Domination matches on the original Black Ops. Players are advised that if they encounter someone in the lobby who is already at max rank, they should avoid engaging in combat. Taking a kill in this scenario could lead to two outcomes: players may receive an excessive amount of XP, catapulting them to Level 50 instantly, or they could end up with negative XP, resulting in a status below Level 1. Since players must reach Level 1 to access multiplayer modes, this effectively locks them out of the game.

These hackers are reportedly obtaining permanent access to Pro Perks, which can significantly disrupt game balance. The exploits appear to stem from tampering with game save files, prompting an ongoing struggle for players just looking to enjoy the game. Reports indicate that these cheaters are frequently joining and leaving matches, causing issues such as spawn problems and drastically reducing player counts in various playlists, including Ground War modes.

To summarize, players are strongly urged to avoid Domination matches where max-ranked players are present. Engaging with them could yield either extreme XP gains or negative XP, both of which hinder progression. If grenade-suicides become a common occurrence during a match, it’s best to exit immediately. On a brighter note, the rereleases do support crossplay between PS4 and PS5, allowing players with and without DLC to matchmake together, contrary to earlier reports.

As of now, no fix has been announced for these significant cheating issues. Activision has been contacted regarding the matter, and updates will be provided if any information becomes available. It remains to be seen how quickly these issues will be resolved, but the potential for these beloved titles to fade from popularity looms large if the situation isn’t addressed soon.