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Spent some time digging into the hardware side after the software scene started getting too hot, but it looks like the "safe" alternative isn't as bulletproof as the marketing makes it out to be. We're seeing a massive uptick in warnings and temp bans for Cronus Zen users across both PC and PS5 in Black Ops 7.
The Current Situation
Ricochet seems to be tightening the noose on hardware emulators. It's not just about "sticky aim" anymore; they are looking at the footprint left by the device and its surrounding environment.
Prevention & Mitigation
If you're still insisting on using this hardware, you need to clean your environment immediately:
— Nuke Zen Studio and any associated installers from your PC.
— Use a deep cleaner to remove registry keys and temp files associated with the device software.
— For console users, be aware that the "input report" vs "native report" discrepancy is a massive red flag for Ricochet's heuristic analysis.
The Verdict
Is it worth it? Probably not. The edge it gives you is minimal compared to a well-configured internal, but the detection surface is growing because everyone thought it was "undiscovered" territory. They're definitely looking for the communication protocol anomalies now.
Anyone found a way to force a native report through the Zen, or are we just waiting for a firmware update that probably won't come?
The Current Situation
Ricochet seems to be tightening the noose on hardware emulators. It's not just about "sticky aim" anymore; they are looking at the footprint left by the device and its surrounding environment.
- PC detections are likely tied to the Zen Studio .exe or leftover registry traces. Some users are getting flagged just for having the app on their desktop without even having the hardware plugged in during the match.
- PS5 users are getting hit with warnings, suggesting the console communication layer is being monitored for non-native controller behavior.
- Input lag and "underwhelming" performance — let's be real, it's glorified aim assist, not a magic bullet, and now it carries a real ban risk.
When looking at the communication protocol reversal, there is a clear distinction in how the game sees the device:
Native PS5 Controller: Returns a native report.
Zen + PS5: Returns an "input report".
Even if the VID (Vendor ID) and Device ID match a standard controller on tools like Device Hunt, the way the anti-cheat queries the device capabilities might be exposing the shim layer used by the Cronus firmware. If the AC requests a specific feature report that the Zen can't natively emulate perfectly, you're flagged.
Native PS5 Controller: Returns a native report.
Zen + PS5: Returns an "input report".
Even if the VID (Vendor ID) and Device ID match a standard controller on tools like Device Hunt, the way the anti-cheat queries the device capabilities might be exposing the shim layer used by the Cronus firmware. If the AC requests a specific feature report that the Zen can't natively emulate perfectly, you're flagged.
Prevention & Mitigation
If you're still insisting on using this hardware, you need to clean your environment immediately:
— Nuke Zen Studio and any associated installers from your PC.
— Use a deep cleaner to remove registry keys and temp files associated with the device software.
— For console users, be aware that the "input report" vs "native report" discrepancy is a massive red flag for Ricochet's heuristic analysis.
The Verdict
Is it worth it? Probably not. The edge it gives you is minimal compared to a well-configured internal, but the detection surface is growing because everyone thought it was "undiscovered" territory. They're definitely looking for the communication protocol anomalies now.
Anyone found a way to force a native report through the Zen, or are we just waiting for a firmware update that probably won't come?
