Hacking and cheating have been longstanding issues for the free to play Call of Duty: Warzone ever since its initial launch. However, with the launch of Season 1 following the release of Call of Duty: Vanguard, Activision is hoping to have turned the tide thanks to the implimentation of the Ricochet Anti-Cheat system. So far, things seem to have improved significantly, as hackers appear to have been reduced in numbers which should no doubt help improve the experience for players.
One thing that isn't helping the Warzone experience for many is the inclusion of the Folklore creature Krampus. Added as part of the Festive Fervor update, Krampus is an NPC style enemy that randomly hunts down players during Warzone matches. Naturally, this hasn't sat well with many in the community as Krampus has ruined plenty of matches for Warzone players especially those who were performing particularly well. However, in one instance, Krampus becomes the hero as he relentlessly persues and takes out a cheater with a very satisfying death.
The even was captured by Call of Duty: Warzone user Tyler Maillet, who spectated the cheater after being taken out during a match. The player in question is under seige by the mythical beast, but manages to nab a few headshots using their Kar98k sniper rifle while dealing with the rampaging monster. What's suspicious is not only how frantic things are, but the player is able to line up and snap headshots with relative ease against players a ways off.
Before long, Krampus takes matters into its own hands and downs the player. After using their self revive, the player attempts to evade Krampus who is heard roaring behind them. Attempting to get to safety, the Call of Duty: Warzone player clearly misjudges where they are and as they jump off of the rocks they're on, their character ends up dying due to fall damage. Comments immediately called the death satisfying, with some commenting that this time, Krampus has lived up to its reputation that it scares and hunts naughty children.
While Ricochet has seemingly had a positive impact on Call of Duty, even causing cheat selling sites and vendors to shut down prior to its Warzone launch, there's growing concern among the community that some have found ways around it already. In this particular case, one user highlights the fact that this player was level 25 while using what appeared to be an aimbot and unlock tool. The concerning part for many is that Ricochet was seemingly unable to identify that this player was hacking. For now, players are encouraged to continue reporting so Ricochet can continue to learn from the data and improve.
Call of Duty: Warzone is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.