PlayStation 5 update blocks Cronus Zen cheat devices

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.

The Cronus Zen. 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.