Activision investigates widespread Black Ops PS4
Activision investigates widespread Call of Duty: Black Ops exploits and hacking issues on PS4 and PS5 for Black Ops 1 and Black Ops 2. The publisher dropped these legacy titles last week, bringing them to modern PlayStation consoles, but joy quickly turned to frustration for many players.
Modders and exploiters rapidly compromised lobbies in the Black Ops 1 port earlier this week, leading some in the community to label the game “unplayable.” These issues stem from fundamental vulnerabilities left in the porting process, raising questions about quality control on these popular re-releases.
Old vulnerabilities resurface in new Black Ops ports
The core of the problem lies with the game’s encryption. Developer Iron Galaxy, responsible for the new ports, reportedly did not alter the encryption on the game files from their original PlayStation 3 (PS3) versions. This oversight means that exploits prevalent for years on the PS3 have now seamlessly transferred to the PS4 and PS5 platforms.
YouTuber Tdawgsmitty interviewed a modder who explained the vulnerability clearly. “Essentially, what you’re doing is that it’s like PS3 where you copy [a save file] to your USB, and there’s a website that lets you unencrypt it,” the modder stated. This process, coupled with a jailbroken PS4 or PS5, allows for easy decryption of save data, making widespread cheating possible.
Rapid progression and negative XP hacks detailed
One of the most disruptive exploits allows players to achieve rapid rank-ups and even instant Master Prestige. Players enter compromised lobbies and can max out their progression by simply performing actions like blowing themselves up with a grenade upon spawning, then leaving the game.
Even more maliciously, the “negative XP” hack can reset unsuspecting players to Level 1 or below. This effectively locks them out of online multiplayer, rendering their experience meaningless. Activision’s first server-side fix on July 14, 2026, specifically addressed this, resetting affected players to Level 20 so they could resume progress.
Other game-breaking cheats identified
Beyond progression manipulation, modders have introduced other game-altering cheats. Wallhacks, for instance, let players see and track enemies through barriers, leading to highly suspicious and unfair kills. This directly undermines competitive play and the integrity of matches in the classic shooter.
There are also “unlock all” cheats that grant every multiplayer item instantly, from weapons and attachments to camos, calling cards, and emblems. Modded account exploits allow for importing manipulated account data, resulting in impossible statistics and instant challenge completions without actually earning them.
Activision’s swift, yet incomplete, response
Activision confirmed to Tdawgsmitty that it is actively investigating these critical issues. The company responded quickly to initial reports of widespread hacking, disabling certain playlists in Call of Duty: Black Ops on PS4 and PS5.
Specifically, the Domination and Ground War playlists were taken offline on July 13, 2026, as these were primary modes targeted by exploiters. The July 14 “first phase of a fix” for the negative XP issue provided some relief, but the publisher acknowledges more work is needed.
Activision has indicated that “additional mitigations will continue to roll out in future updates.” This suggests a longer battle ahead to secure the game experience fully. While their swift action is commendable, the underlying structural vulnerability requires a more comprehensive overhaul than quick playlist removals.
Player frustration over Black Ops exploits
Fans were initially thrilled to see these classic Call of Duty titles become accessible on modern PlayStation consoles. Despite being described as “bare-bones transfers” with no significant improvements, the nostalgia factor drove the ports to the top of the PlayStation Store best-sellers list.
But that excitement quickly soured. Many players now find the game “unplayable” due to rampant cheating, making the $40 price tag for each title, plus additional DLC costs, a tough pill to swallow. The inability to experience the game as intended severely damages player trust in re-releases.
This situation also casts a shadow on the perceived value of re-mastered or ported classic titles. When new versions arrive with old, unresolved vulnerabilities, it undermines the effort to preserve gaming history and offer it to new generations. Gamers expect a minimum level of security and fair play, especially in online multiplayer environments.
Iron Galaxy’s track record and context
The developer of these troubled ports, Iron Galaxy Studios, is a work-for-hire studio known for porting games across platforms. While they’ve successfully handled titles like Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike Online Edition and Diablo III: Eternal Collection, their reputation isn’t without blemishes.
For instance, the PC port of Batman: Arkham Knight, also handled by Iron Galaxy, was notoriously problematic at launch, requiring significant patching and even a temporary sales halt. This history suggests a pattern of inconsistent quality when dealing with complex game conversions, sometimes prioritizing speed over robust security and optimization.
It’s worth noting that Iron Galaxy experienced layoffs in 2025, affecting 66 employees, and again in April 2. Resource constraints following such organizational changes could potentially impact the thoroughness of their development and porting processes, contributing to oversights like the unaddressed encryption.
This is especially pertinent as the broader publisher, Activision Blizzard, recently underwent a significant change, being acquired by Microsoft in October 2023, with former CEO Bobby Kotick resigning in December 2023.
The path ahead for Black Ops players
Activision has confirmed its commitment to resolving these issues, but a timeline for a full fix remains unclear. The current situation suggests that players will need to exercise patience as additional mitigations are rolled out, potentially over several weeks or even months. For now, specific playlists remain disabled, limiting gameplay options.
The publisher’s immediate challenge is to not only plug the existing vulnerabilities but also to rebuild player confidence. This means demonstrating a robust, long-term strategy for maintaining the integrity of these classic titles. Anything less could leave a lingering negative perception on future re-releases.
For players hoping to enjoy a genuine, fair multiplayer experience from these beloved games, the current state is a significant disappointment. The incident serves as a stark reminder that simply porting a game isn’t enough; thorough modernization and security updates are crucial for online titles, particularly those with a history of exploit issues.