The latest PlayStation 5 update appears to have blocked players from using a "controller emulator" called the Cronus Zen, and that may well have something to do with the fact that some players have been using it to, shock horror, cheat at games.
First spotted by CharlieIntel (via The Verge), Cronus has posted a notice on its website confirming that since the 24.01-08.60.00 update, the Zen will no longer connect to the PlayStation 5. The company suggests that as the update isn't mandatory, players can simply skip it and the device should continue to work just fine.
However, looking at the update notes there's no mention of any new anti-cheating measures coming into force on the console, which suggests that either the disabling of the device is an (arguably happy) accident, or that Sony isn't keen to mention cheating devices and has simply found a way to disconnect it on the quiet.
And before you think that this is simply a console gaming story, it's worth noting that the Zen, while not officially supported, does work on PC as well, and the company even provides a setup guide to help PC users set it up correctly.
For what it's worth the device does seem to have some legitimate uses, like allowing players to connect a non-supported controller or any mouse and keyboard to a console, although it's the ability to "amplify your game" via the script engine that's caused the most controversy. The Zen allows you to reduce recoil from gunfire, enable aim-assist functions on mouse and keyboard setups, and alter other settings that can be used to give players an in-game advantage, causing something of a backlash.
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A search on YouTube reveals a large number of videos discussing the device, from tips on how to use it to angry rants about how it's just not cricket, old chap, although as you can imagine the discussion is sometimes not quite that polite in tone.
It's not the first crackdown we've seen from a company on the illegitimate uses of the device, as the developers behind shooters like Destiny 2 and Call of Duty: Warzone 2 have already taken steps to disable and detect third-party hardware devices like the Zen that could be used to gain an unfair advantage.
Regardless of the legitimate uses of the product, it's difficult to feel sorry for gamers using the device to rise to the top of the leaderboard who've since been denied that pleasure by the new update, although chances are they've probably rolled it back by now to carry on cheating.
Come back here and suck at multiplayer games with the rest of us, you cads. The waters warm, and the misery, infinite.
