Activision has initiated legal action against the developer responsible for creating hacking software for Call of Duty
Activision has initiated legal proceedings against Ryan Rothholz, attributing to him the creation of Call of Duty cheating programs, Lergware and GameHook.
IGN reports that this action was taken in the Central District of California, with Activision represented by Marc Mayer and Mark Humphrey from the law firm Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp, specializing in video gaming law.
According to the lawsuit, Rothholz developed and marketed Lergware from 2021 to 2022, selling it through his online platform. The software was later adjusted to work with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone in 2023.
Following these updates, Activision sent a cease and desist order to Rothholz, who allegedly posted the letter in a Discord group and mocked the company.
Activision claims the software led to increased online cheating incidents, with some players issuing warnings in gaming forums.
The lawsuit also alleges Rothholz is behind GameHook and collaborated with Collin 'Cid' Gyetvai and Jordan 'Bossnight55' Newcombe Boothey, selling access to the software for $50 per game or $375 for lifetime access.
Activision's complaint states the accused individuals have earned substantial sums from these activities, which have negatively affected both the company and its gaming community. Despite attempts to address the issue directly with those involved, Activision alleged that their efforts were ignored, leading to the necessity of this legal action.
Additional cease and desist communications were issued by Activision in March 2025. Consequently, Lergware and GameHook online outlets were closed. However, Activision asserts disbelief in their assurance to cease software creation and sales.
The company speculates the accused continue to sell the cheating software through discreet channels.
As highlighted by IGN, Activision seeks compensation, injunctive relief, and punitive damages. The company explained its ongoing commitment to ensuring the quality of gameplay in CoD titles.
Activision mentioned that cheating undermines the gaming environment and could detrimentally affect engagement and enjoyment of Call of Duty games.
The company previously secured $14.4 million in damages and $292,912 in legal costs from another cheat provider, EngineOwning, in May 2023.
This article was updated to include the names of the attorneys representing Activision in the case.