Call of Duty: Vanguard cheaters are already wreaking havoc ahead of launch

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Cheaters are reportedly selling "lifetime access" to Vanguard hacks once the game goes live this November.

call of duty: vanguard multiplayer gameplay
(Image credit: Activision)

Call of Duty: Warzone has long been besieged by hacks, cheats and exploits. So it's probably no surprise that the series' next mainline installation, Vanguard, is already suffering a similar fate in its recent open beta.

According to a report by Waypoint, cheaters have already begun hawking their wares in the Call of Duty: Vanguard beta. Taking advantage of the fact the beta doesn't feature Call of Duty's much-vaunted new anti-cheat system, hackers have been able to instantly end matches.

But as with Battlefield 2042, cheat developers are already preparing for the game's full launch. Listings viewed by Waypoint advertise "lifetime" access to Vanguard hacks. Reportedly, these cheats have sprung up so quickly because much of Vanguard's code is similar to 2019's Modern Warfare reboot, making it easier for developers to create hacks for the unreleased title.

"The core of the [Call of Duty] engine hasn’t changed much during the life of the franchise so porting a cheat from one game to another has always been very easy," an anonymous industry source told Waypoint. "Cheat developers have extra incentives to get that working during beta: it’s good publicity for them to be the first and that allows them to capture screenshots and videos for marketing. Most usually give the cheat free to their existing customers. Some even go free for everyone."

Natalie Clayton
Natalie Clayton
Features Producer

20 years ago, Nat played Jet Set Radio Future for the first time, and she's not stopped thinking about games since. Joining PC Gamer in 2020, she comes from three years of freelance reporting at Rock Paper Shotgun, Waypoint, VG247 and more. Embedded in the European indie scene and a part-time game developer herself, Nat is always looking for a new curiosity to scream about—whether it's the next best indie darling, or simply someone modding a Scotmid into Black Mesa. She also unofficially appears in Apex Legends under the pseudonym Horizon.