Updated
Updated · VICE · Jul 13
Activision Disables Black Ops 1 PS5 Playlists Days After Launch as Hacking Overruns Multiplayer
Updated
Updated · VICE · Jul 13

Activision Disables Black Ops 1 PS5 Playlists Days After Launch as Hacking Overruns Multiplayer

1 articles · Updated · VICE · Jul 13

Summary

  • Activision pulled select Call of Duty: Black Ops playlists on PS4 and PS5 after players reported multiplayer matches flooded with cheaters just days after the port's release.
  • The shutdown follows exploits that let hackers hand out negative XP, reset victims to Level 1, trigger multiplayer lockouts, and instantly grant Master Prestige or full unlocks.
  • Black Ops 2 players have reported similar hacks, but Activision's public statement named only Black Ops 1, leaving unclear whether BO2 playlists will also be disabled.
  • No repair timeline was given, extending a launch-week crisis that has left many players calling the rereleased games' online modes effectively unplayable.

Insights

If hackers can break Call of Duty on PS5, is any console's 'walled garden' truly secure?
Are broken Black Ops ports a sign publishers are now just exploiting player nostalgia for quick cash?