The PlayStation 5’s latest update blocks players from using the Cronus Zen — a device cheaters use to get an unfair advantage in first-person shooters and other games — as spotted by Call of Duty news site CharlieIntel. A notice on the Cronus website warns players that the 24.01-08.60.00 update for the PS5 no longer allows the Cronus Zen to connect to the console.
Although Cronus bills the device as a “controller emulator,” cheaters have been using it to perform all sorts of digital tweaks to their controllers, like reducing recoil and setting macros. Some players using a keyboard and mouse also employ the Cronus Zen to trick their console into thinking they’re using a controller for the benefit of their aim and movement abilities.
Image: Cronus
Cronus says there is “no timetable” on when it will get devices working again. However, we still don’t know if Sony issued a patch to specifically block the Cronus Zen. It’s also unclear whether other third-party hardware used for cheating, like the XIM and ReaSnow S1, are affected. The Verge reached out to Sony with a request for comment but didn’t immediately hear back.
If Sony did block players from using the Cronus Zen, it wouldn’t be much of a surprise. Last October, Xbox issued a sweeping ban on “unauthorized” controllers and accessories. Activision Blizzard also started cracking down on players using third-party hardware for cheating in Call of Duty last year, while Ubisoft, Bungie, and Fortnite developer Epic Games did the same.
