Call of Duty Warzone's kernel-level anti-cheat goes live in December

Call of Duty Warzone Pacific — (Image credit: Activision)

Call of Duty Warzone's kernel-level driver, which is the meat of Activision's proprietary Ricochet anti-cheat system, goes live in December.

Warzone's Ricochet anti-cheat will begin its initial rollout with server enhancements alongside the launch of Call of Duty: Vanguard in early November, but the kernel-level driver is coming separately with Call of Duty Warzone's new Pacific map, titled Caldera, on December 2. That'll mark a significant boost in the battle royale's anti-cheat infrastructure, and Activision says it'll be added to Call of Duty: Vanguard "at a later date."

On the same day, Call of Duty: Vanguard will enter season one with new multiplayer maps, a new battle pass, and two free weapons for all players. Ahead of the new season and new Warzone map, you can take a trip down memory lane with the return of the Shipment map, first introduced in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, to Vanguard on November 17.

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Likewise, Warzone's pre-season shenanigans include Operation: Flashback, a limited-time "encore" mode for the retiring Verdansk map. Flashback goes live on November 18 with "plenty of surprises" and nostalgia in store for Verdansk loyalists, plus anyone who plays the limited-time mode will get a special emblem and an exclusive calling card if you win a match.

For now, the spooky season is in full swing in Call of Duty Warzone with the limited-time Ghosts of Verdansk mode. GamesRadar's Alyssa Mercante is enjoying her time in haunted Warzone so much that she wishes it would stick around for more than a few weeks.