In Call of Duty, cheaters ruin player matches. One of the world’s most famous CoD players, Scump, warns of declining player numbers in Black Ops 6 if Activision does nothing about it.
Cheaters are the big problem in modern CoD games, and especially the “Battle Royale” mode Warzone has been unplayable at times. At the end of 2021, the new anti-cheat system “RICOCHET” was introduced in the shooter to challenge the cheaters.
In recent years, the system has been continuously adjusted. In November 2023, a trick was developed to identify cheaters in Warzone, and a player was caught by it and initially thought he was being harassed. Nevertheless, cheaters remain a problem in Call of Duty.
Who warns of declining player numbers? Seth “Scump” Abner (28) is one of the most famous CoD players in the world and has dedicated himself professionally to various titles in the franchise. In January 2023, Scump ended his career as a professional CoD player. On Twitch, Scump has 1.7 million followers and regularly streams in front of over 6,000 viewers.
Scump addressed the cheater problem in Call of Duty during his livestream on September 17, 2024. He believes that more people cheat the longer the game is out. This reduces the player base.
In October, Black Ops 6 will release, the new installment of the shooter series:
“The number of cheaters is rising, the player numbers are falling”
What does the pro say? In a Twitch livestream, a viewer asks Scump why he is not playing Modern Warfare 3 and if it has to do with the cheaters. He also asks the streamer about his opinion on the cheater problem.
Scump responds:
I think the problem with cheaters in Call of Duty is getting worse throughout the year – and it happens every year. It’s just the way it is, especially in multiplayer. The longer the game is out, the more people cheat, and that’s just how it goes. The player base is declining, and the number of cheaters is increasing. […] I hate the cheaters; I tend to stop playing ranked around Season 2 each year. Really, every single year.
Scump in the livestream on Twitch, Timestamp 09:54:40
In the chat, some users pick up on the topic. SabpremeLeader writes: “Always unplayable at the end of its lifespan.” And craz3ykev writes: “Anti-cheat is so good…”, which he presumably means sarcastically.
What does this mean for Black Ops 6? Scump’s assessment fits well with the upcoming release of Black Ops 6, as the new installment in the “Call of Duty” series will be launched on October 25. It remains to be seen how high the player numbers will be at launch and in the months following.
During the beta for Black Ops 6, Activision has already tested various features of the RICOCHET anti-cheat system (via callofduty.com). The team is also focused on further improving the systems “to prevent cheating, capture cheaters, and remove them from [the] games.” RICOCHET will be fully implemented on the day of BO6’s release.
The gaming community will see how the cheater problem develops with the new installment of the shooter series and whether the improvements are sufficient in the months following the release.
During the beta weekends, numerous players were able to test the new features, weapons, and the new Omni-Movement of Black Ops 6. Overall, the Black Ops 6 beta was well received but also received criticism.
