Warzone RICOCHET PC driver not available in North America at launch

Alan Bernal

Call of Duty Warzone’s kernel-level RICOCHET anti-cheat driver won’t be released in North America at launch and will instead be a part of its global rollout.

RICOCHET is Activision’s latest initiative to combat hackers. The server-side anti-cheat is already live across all regions for Warzone and Vanguard.

Both players and developers are hoping the kernel-level security system will hamper rampant cheaters in Warzone. Stakeholders were hoping for a simultaneous release of Warzone Pacific and RICOCHET to ensure fair and smooth gameplay during Season 1’s launch, but that now looks unlikely.

“This strategic launch approach allows us to monitor stability, collect feedback, and make any required updates before expanding the rollout,” the devs said in a blog post.

“Additionally, information about cheating behavior provided by the kernel-level driver will help enforce security for all players around the world.”

warzone ricochet anti cheat
RICOCHET is Warzone’s latest anti-cheat measure to combat hackers.

The anti-cheat was technically released on the same day as Pacific but RICOCHET is only available in the Asia-Pacific region ahead of its wider launch.

It’s far from the beginning of RICOCHET’s overall rollout but the decision will mean that NA players will have to wait until they’re backed up by user-side systems. The devs didn’t announce a release window.

Sledgehammer Games announced the launch of RICOCHET won November 12, which coincided with Call of Duty Vanguard’s release.

Since then, the upgraded server-side security systems that are a part of the new anti-cheat structure have been live in Warzone.

The company’s #TeamRICOCHET, a Twitter tag that players can follow to keep up with COD’s security team, will update fans as more news of the anti-cheat comes out.

Once it releases, every player will have to download the program in order to access Warzone. From there, RICOCHET will only run on a PC when the BR is active. As soon as Warzone is closed, so does the driver.

As Warzone hackers find new measures to evade anti-cheat measures, Warzone fans are hoping the new RICOCHET system will be enough to rein in cheaters.

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About The Author

Alan is a former staff writer for Dexerto based in Southern California who covered esports, internet culture, and the broader games/streaming industry. He is a CSUF Alum with a B.A. in Journalism. He's reported on sports medicine, emerging technology, and local community issues. Got a tip or want to talk?