Activision is intensifying its efforts to combat cheating in Call of Duty.

      Activision is pursuing legal action against the developer of a prominent Call of Duty cheat. The company claims that the GameHook and Lergware hacks are detrimental to the game, leading some players to abandon the PC version of Black Ops 6 entirely. These programs enable users to remove other participants from games and can potentially crash multiplayer servers, while GameHook also provides a cheat that guarantees every shot hits an opponent.

      The creation of such cheats breaches the terms of service and would usually result in a ban, but Activision asserts that the creators have profited from the hack by selling it to other players. “Activision is informed and believes, and on that basis alleges, that Defendants have received significant revenue from their activities, to the detriment of Activision and its player community,” the lawsuit states (transcribed by IGN).

      Activision claims that Ryan Rothholz, known online as Lerggy, is the original creator of Lergware. The company issued a cease-and-desist order in 2023, but according to Activision, the creator merely changed his name and shared the source code with other hackers. Activision has also identified two individuals, Collin Gyetvai and Jordan Newcombe Boothey, as resellers of the hack.

      The gaming company is seeking both financial damages and punitive measures against those involved in the lawsuit, a total Activision believes could reach millions of dollars.

      Cheating in Call of Duty is not a new issue, as the community has held a longstanding reputation for toxicity in various forms, and Activision has previously attempted, though not effectively, to address this problem. In the past, Call of Duty: Warzone would shadowban players reported for cheating, while Call of Duty: Vanguard prevented cheaters from seeing other players. However, these measures have only provided temporary relief, and cheating continues to be a significant challenge for the online community.

      Patrick Hearn writes about smart home technology including Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, smart light bulbs, and more.

      The quickest methods to earn XP in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

      Since Modern Warfare, Call of Duty enthusiasts have been eager to discover every tip and trick to level up swiftly. With the launch of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 featuring a revamped Prestige system, the motivation to grind levels is at an all-time high. Although everything you do earns XP, they are not all equal. Just like selecting your Wildcards or Perks, optimizing your XP gain requires some strategic planning. If you're aiming for high-level equipment or want to rapidly progress through Prestige ranks, here are the quickest ways to earn XP in Black Ops 6.

      Focus on daily challenges

      Let's start with the most straightforward tip. Daily challenges have returned and function as they always have. Every 24 hours, you will receive several optional tasks to complete for a generous batch of bonus XP. These tasks may include obtaining Scorestreak kills, achieving Point Blank Kills, or getting kills with a specific weapon type. Most daily challenges reward you with 2,500 XP, a nice bonus, while one of them is worth between 3,000 and 5,000 additional XP. Prioritizing your daily challenges each day you log in is essential.

      Customize your loadout and play the objective

      We know many of you are engaged in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 on Xbox right now, but the company has just announced a number of games being added to Xbox Game Pass -- specifically the Game Pass Standard tier -- in the first half of November.

      The most significant title coming to the service (and we truly mean that) is Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. Xbox and developers Asobo Studio previously indicated that this version will have a smaller install size compared to its predecessor -- 127GB instead of 157GB -- but it will also require 64GB of RAM. This is aimed at delivering immense detail to players as they navigate the skies worldwide. Asobo claims it has increased "the detail of its virtual environment by a factor of 4,000." In addition to the stunningly realistic graphics, a new career mode allows players to undergo training and missions to become pilots, plus a challenge mode to compete with other pilots. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 will be available on Game Pass at launch on November 19.

      The optimal PC settings for Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

      Call of Duty Black Ops 6 is the latest entry in a long line of fast-paced shooters, and, like its predecessors, it introduces a new campaign, multiplayer features, and enhanced graphics. While upgrading your GPU or CPU is always a great way to improve performance in modern, demanding games, adjusting the game settings can also significantly enhance your gaming experience.

      However, even competitive players won't want to disable all settings to maximize frame rates. Clarity is essential for identifying opponents at a distance, and what is the point of playing the latest Call of Duty if you can't appreciate some of its