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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchActivision sued EngineOwning and associated defendants in January 2022, alleging that their software enabled cheating in Call of Duty by circumventing anti-cheat technology. The record includes a 2023 consent judgment against one defendant, Manuel Santiago, and a later motion seeking default judgment against others; it does not establish one simple, case-wide outcome. Separately, Activision says it continues to pursue cheat sellers and its policy allows sanctions against players who use unauthorized gameplay-altering software.
What Activision alleged about the cheat software
Activision filed its federal case in January 2022 against EngineOwning and associated individuals. It alleged that the defendants sold software that circumvented the company’s anti-cheat technology. The complaint is Activision’s account of the dispute, not a court finding that every allegation was true. Ars Technica reported on the filing.
In an amended complaint filed September 16, 2022, Activision described cheat features that it said gave users unfair advantages, including automatically aiming weapons and revealing opponents’ locations. Those descriptions remain allegations in a party’s pleading; they should not be mistaken for findings established by a judgment. The case docket and filings include the amended complaint.
What the court actually ordered
Consent judgment against Manuel Santiago
In February 2023, the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California entered a consent judgment and permanent injunction as to Manuel T. Santiago. The injunction barred him from specified activities involving listed EngineOwning software and other defined cheating software. The order says Santiago “shall immediately and permanently cease and desist from” the acts covered by that injunction. The scope is the conduct and software defined in the order, and the order applies to Santiago—not automatically to every defendant or player. The case docket contains the consent judgment.
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The judgment entered against Santiago was $1 million, payable under terms in the parties’ confidential settlement agreement. The public order therefore establishes the judgment amount, not that $1 million was actually paid or collected.
Later request for default judgment
On April 12, 2024, Activision filed a motion seeking default judgment against other defendants. A motion presents the moving party’s position and requested relief; it is not itself an order granting that relief. The materials cited here do not establish a single final outcome for the whole case. The docket records the motion.
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Can Activision ban players for using cheats?
Activision’s Security and Enforcement Policy is separate from its lawsuit against cheat sellers. The policy says unauthorized software that changes or facilitates gameplay—including software used to gain an unfair advantage or manipulate stats or game data—is prohibited and can lead to sanctions. Activision lists penalties ranging from temporary bans to termination of a license. The policy is the publisher’s stated enforcement rule; it is not a court ruling in the EngineOwning case. Read Activision’s Security and Enforcement Policy.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What Activision later reported about enforcement
In August 2026, PC Gamer reported Activision’s claims that the company had served 80 cease-and-desist letters, disrupted 375 reseller operations, and shut down 30 vendors. These are figures attributed to Activision through PC Gamer’s report, not independently verified findings in the EngineOwning lawsuit. They describe a later enforcement campaign and should not be read as a new ruling in the 2022 case. PC Gamer’s August 2026 report.
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How to read the case’s different outcomes
| Record | What it establishes | What it does not establish |
|---|---|---|
| Activision’s complaints | What Activision alleged about the cheat products, their features, and the defendants’ conduct. | That every allegation was proven or adopted by a court. |
| 2023 consent judgment | A permanent injunction and a $1 million judgment against Manuel Santiago, payable under confidential settlement terms. | That the full amount was paid, or that the injunction resolved every defendant’s case. |
| 2024 default-judgment motion | Activision’s request for relief against other defendants and the company’s position in that filing. | That the court granted the requested relief. |
| 2026 enforcement figures | Activision’s reported claims about letters and disrupted or shut-down operations, as relayed by PC Gamer. | Independent verification of those figures or a new ruling in the EngineOwning case. |
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