Black Ops 7 Will Require Secure Boot To Play – Here’s Why It Matters

Activision’s announcement about Black Ops 7 dropped a bit of an unexpected bombshell for PC gamers. Brace yourselves, folks, because if you were planning to fire up some 2025 throwdowns in Black Ops 7 without having Windows Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 enabled, you might as well be trying to build a gaming rig from IKEA instructions. Spoiler alert, it’s not gonna work.

Yup, you read that right. Activision is making these hardware security features mandatory in the next installment of Black Ops. And if this already sounds like a lot of tech jargon attacking your leisurely gaming experience, don’t worry—I’ve got you. Let’s break down what this means and why Activision thinks a seemingly mild inconvenience could save Black Ops from cheaters, modders, and who knows, maybe even your neighbor’s cousin Alan, who still rage-quits on Warzone.

What Exactly Is Secure Boot (and Why Should You Care)?

Without getting too geeky (no promises), Secure Boot is a Windows feature that prevents your PC from booting up with unauthorized software or sneaky malware. It’s like bouncer-level security for your gaming rig. Wanna get in? Show me the invite.

Add TPM 2.0 to the mix, and you’ve got a match made in cybersecurity heaven. TPM (Trusted Platform Module) is a little chip embedded on most modern motherboards or CPUs, and it ensures nobody’s been tampering with your system at startup. Combine the two, and Activision claims they’re arming Black Ops 7 with a “cheat-free foundation.”

“Cheat-free foundation” sounds fancy, but more importantly, it sounds like Activision is tired of the same old cheater circus. Yep, if you’ve been obliterated by some dude with impossible headshots, you’re not alone. Black Ops and other AAA titles have struggled with hackers for years, even with all the anti-cheat systems already in place.

Why This Move Is Rattling PC Gamers

Now, as much as Activision loves waving the anti-cheat flag, not everyone’s excited about enabling secure boot features just to play their favorite shooter when Black Ops 7 arrives. Here’s where the eye rolls and virtual sighs begin.

• It’s a Barrier to Entry: Not everyone’s running Windows 11 or has Secure Boot configurations easily accessible, especially on custom-built PCs. If your setup isn’t compatible, congratulations! You just won the unofficial prize of frustration as you deep-dive forums figuring out how the heck to enable TPM 2.0.
• Does It Really Work? Skeptics argue that relying on Secure Boot sounds like putting a padlock on the front door in a neighborhood of burglars with crowbars. Security measures like these are welcome, but will they really stop sophisticated cheats out there? History hasn’t always been kind to such optimistic claims.
• Performance Paranoia: While Activision insists that these changes “won’t impact in-game quality,” you don’t have to be a computer engineer to know a game requiring hardware-level security could raise some eyebrows. After all, we’re dealing with a game that already pushes systems to their limits.

Is Cheating THAT Bad in Black Ops 7?