Image credit: Activision

Anti-cheat systems are stepping up in a big way. Call of Duty and Battlefield 6 are no longer just banning accounts – they’re locking cheaters out at the system level. If you want to play, you’ll need to meet strict requirements and keep your setup clean. The message is clear: fair play is the only way forward.

If You Want to Play Battlefield 6 or CoD: BO7 – Activate Secure Boot

Activision and EA are raising the bar in the fight against cheating by enforcing new PC anti-cheat requirements, including Secure Boot and Battlefield 6 TPM 2.0 – two built-in security features found in most modern PCs. This move signals a shift toward Secure Boot TPM gaming, where hardware-level protections become essential for fair play. As Windows 11 gaming increasingly embraces these standards, players are also seeing a broader push for layered defenses, including two-factor authentication for account security.

Secure Boot prevents unauthorized software from loading during startup, while TPM 2.0 (Trusted Platform Module) stores sensitive data and helps verify system integrity. Together, these tools make it much harder for cheat programs to operate undetected, pushing anti-cheat protection beyond software and into hardware.

This move reflects a shift in strategy: instead of chasing cheaters after the fact, developers are trying to block them before they even launch the game. By enforcing system-level requirements, Activision and EA hope to create a fairer, more secure environment for competitive play. It’s a bold step, but one that’s already causing debate.

The rollout is happening gradually. CoD Black Ops 7 PC isn’t enforcing the requirement yet, but Battlefield 6’s beta already demands both Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 to be enabled. As part of the Call of Duty Secure Boot initiative, future updates may require players to meet these hardware-level standards. For many players, this means checking BIOS settings or even upgrading hardware. Those with older systems or custom-built rigs may find themselves locked out, sparking frustration across forums and social media.

The impact on the so-called ‘PC master race’ is especially noticeable. PC gamers often value flexibility and control over their systems, and this new approach challenges that balance between security and convenience. While some welcome the tighter protection, others worry about losing access or facing technical hurdles just to play.

Past controversies around anti-cheat systems – like kernel-level access and false bans – have made players cautious. But developers seem committed to long-term solutions. By combining hardware checks, smarter detection tools, and stricter enforcement, they’re building a layered defense against cheating. Whether this strategy will win over the community remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the war on cheaters is entering a new phase.