Call of Duty maker Activision claims video game cheating is now a £6.3 billion ($8.5 billion) a year industry

eurogamer.net Sep 20, 2026

Call of Duty maker Activision claims video game cheating is now a £6.3 billion ($8.5 billion) a year industry

Curated by Shubham · TechCapsules · Sep 20, 2026

AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication

Activision released a blog post detailing the scale of cheating in its games, estimating the global cheat‑service market at roughly £6.3 billion ($8.5 billion) annually. The company’s anti‑cheat team, Team Ricochet, said subscriptions for cheats across 15 titles generate about £2.6 billion ($3.5 billion). Activision claims to have disrupted more than 375 reseller operations, issued over 80 cease‑and‑desist letters and shut down 31 primary cheat vendors, including a recent raid on an Ohio‑based seller during a closed beta. The crackdown has pushed cheat subscription fees above £75 ($100) and total annual spend for some users past £750 ($1,000). Activision argues the rising cost and legal pressure make cheating a losing investment as it prepares to launch Modern Warfare 4 on 23 October.

💡 Why It Matters

· By exposing the financial magnitude of cheating and intensifying legal action, Activision is forcing a costly, risk‑laden environment that could deter cheat providers and reshape player behavior ahead of a major franchise release.

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