Activision starts taking action against new AI auto aim cheat software

Activision has started to take action against AI-powered cheat software, following reports about it earlier this week.

The software, which was highlighted by anti-cheat group ACPD, reportedly utilises PC passthrough via network streaming or a capture card to bypass console platform security.

A promotional video suggests that it then uses AI to detect elements of the video feed passing through the PC software, such as enemy movement and specific weapons being used, in order to activate the auto aim and auto shoot cheats.

“The cheat uses machine learning and sends input to your controller whenever it sees a valid target,” explained ACPD. “This is aim assist but more amplified without you even needing to do anything all you have to do is aim in the general area and the machine will do the work for you”.

However, ACPD notes that Activision has now started taking action against YouTube videos promoting the cheat.

Although the cheat remains available to purchase, ACPD notes that by taking down the videos Activision is showing it is aware of the cheat’s presence and has likely started taking steps to fight it.

In recent years cheating has been a big problem for many popular PC games, but console players have been relatively protected by the closed nature of those platforms.

Software like the above, however, could in theory make cheats such as auto aim far more common on PlayStation and Xbox, because it bypasses console security by passing through a PC,

ACPD said that while cheat software like the one mention on this page can still be detected by Sony and Microsoft, they would be far more difficult to do so than traditional cheats.

In April, the creative director of Call of Duty: Warzone told VGC he shares fan frustration over cheating in the battle royale game, which has been a prominent issue since launch.

Warzone’s popularity has made it a target for cheaters hoping to gain an in-game advantage over other players, and perhaps worse still, people masquerading as cheat sellers with more malicious intent.

Amos Hodge said he was “upset” that cheaters are “ruining some of the best work” he’s ever done.

“Cheating is handled by our security team,” he said. “But what I will say is that we have reporting tools, we ban a ton of people and no one hates the cheaters more than we do. We make this content for the players and while you’re upset that it ruined your game, I’m upset that it’s ruining some of the best work that I’ve done in my life.

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Warzone director ‘upset cheaters are ruining some of the best work in my life’

"No one hates the cheaters more than we do"

“I made this content for players and I know that everyone around the team feels that way,” Hodge continued. “We put our hearts into this content, we have 100 million players, it’s been out a year, this is a huge stage and some of the best work we’ve ever done, and to have cheaters come in and ruin the game bothers us more than anyone. I know the security team are on top of it and they’re continually going to make updates.”

Activision has said it’s dedicating resources “24/7 to identify and combat cheats, including aimbots, wallhacks, trainers, stat hacks, texture hacks, leaderboard hacks, injectors, hex editors and any third party software that is used to manipulate game data or memory”.