The latest update for the PlayStation 5 prevents the Cronus Zen controller emulator from connecting — but it’s unclear whether it was intentional.
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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.
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.
