Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 hacking incident and impact on players
Intelligence Summary
- Discover the recent hack of Black Ops 2 multiplayer servers on PS5 and PS4 and what it means for players.
In short
- The multiplayer servers for Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 on PS5 and PS4 have been compromised by a hacker.
- Black Ops 2, originally released in 2013, has recently become available again for PlayStation players.
- Cheating is a widespread problem in the PlayStation ports of Black Ops 1 and 2.
GAME-scanner analysis
The recent hack of the Black Ops 2 multiplayer servers by a hacker known as 'C Isn't Sharp' has drawn the attention of both players and Activision. This incident highlights the vulnerability of the online infrastructure of older games, even after being re-released. Iron Galaxy Studios, responsible for the ports of Black Ops 1 and 2, faces the challenge of providing a secure play environment, especially given the outdated infrastructure these games run on. Activision has already responded by temporarily disabling playlists while it works on a solution for the cheaters.
What does this mean for players?
For players, this means the Black Ops 2 multiplayer experience may currently be severely disrupted by the presence of cheaters. This can lead to frustration and a decline in the gameplay experience, especially for those returning to the game after its re-release. The question remains how Activision will secure the servers and whether it can regain the trust of the player community.
Timeline
2013-11-12: Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 is originally released on PS3.
2026-07-09: Black Ops 1 and 2 are re-released as direct ports for PS5 and PS4.
2026-07-13: Activision confirms the hack and temporarily disables playlists.