Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and the latest version of Warzone are ushering in a new era of PC gaming — and not everyone is thrilled about it. Visit https://www.u4gm.com/bo6-bot-lobbies. Activision has announced that TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot will now be mandatory to launch and play either game on PC, igniting a fiery debate across the gaming community.
At first glance, the idea makes sense. These security features are designed to stop cheating and improve system integrity. TPM 2.0, short for Trusted Platform Module, works as a cryptographic anchor built directly into a computer’s hardware, helping to protect system information. Secure Boot, meanwhile, ensures that a system only boots using trusted software. The two together form a security combo already required by Microsoft for Windows 11, and now Call of Duty is following suit.
Activision claims the move will help enforce a cleaner competitive environment by making it harder for cheaters to exploit vulnerabilities at the system level. Warzone, in particular, has struggled with hackers and cheaters since its inception, and previous solutions like the Ricochet anti-cheat system have only partially stemmed the tide. By requiring security features that validate the system before the game even loads, Activision is clearly taking a more aggressive approach.
But this decision is not without controversy.
Players with older systems — particularly those running CPUs or motherboards that do not support TPM 2.0 or Secure Boot — are now locked out. Even users with compatible hardware might face headaches. On many systems, these settings are buried within BIOS menus and often disabled by default. For players unfamiliar with tweaking BIOS settings, enabling these features could be confusing, risky, or even impossible without updating firmware.
Community reactions have been divided. On one side are players who welcome any effort to reduce cheating. After years of hackers ruining lobbies and competitive matches, some argue that stricter requirements are long overdue. On the other side, many gamers feel this move alienates loyal fans who may not be able to afford new hardware or are playing on systems with unique configurations that cannot accommodate the new requirements.
The problem is not just about accessibility — it is also about trust. Some users are concerned about the broader implications of giving games access to such deep system-level checks. There is growing unease around digital ownership, surveillance, and the increasing amount of control software companies have over personal hardware. For some, TPM and Secure Boot represent a further erosion of user control in favor of corporate oversight.
Activision has stated that the requirements will enhance long-term support, performance optimization, and game integrity. But critics argue that the same goals could be achieved through improved in-game anti-cheat systems and more robust account monitoring — methods that do not require system-level enforcement.
Whether these requirements will significantly cut down on cheating remains to be seen. What is certain is that the PC landscape is changing. For better or worse, Call of Duty is placing its bet on system-level security becoming the new normal for multiplayer titles. The question is not just whether this works to stop cheating, but whether the cost to accessibility and user freedom is too high.
As Black Ops 6 gears up for launch, it brings with it not just a new chapter in a beloved franchise, but a glimpse into a future where playing games on PC might demand more than just a good graphics card — it might require giving up a bit of control.