Destiny 2 XIM, Cronus Zen, and ReaSnow S1 detection may be coming to the popular FPS game, according to a Bungie developer comment recently shared by the Verge. Destiny 2 players using these tools to enhance their gameplay may finally switch to grinding aim training software to improve those headshots. These tools have long conferred unfair advantages in FPS games, such as enabling controller aim assist to mouse and keyboard users and making it easier for them to land shots.
The Bungie developer comment, which The Verge says was made in February, suggests the team is actively looking for ways to detect XIM, Cronus, and ReaSnow S1 tools that allow mouse and keyboard players to leverage controller aim assist in giving them significant gameplay advantages. This is particularly notable in PvP activities such as Destiny 2 Iron Banner and Trials of Osiris, as it can allow players with poor aim to take down superior players who have meticulously honed their craft throughout the years.
Regarding the use of tolls like XIM, Cronus Zen, and ReaSnow S1 in its popular multiplayer game, a Bungie team member notes the team is looking into solutions. “‘This is something we are currently investigating,’ Bungie told The Verge in February, but the company hasn’t yet announced its own detection system for Destiny 2,” The Verge reports.
Bungie takes cheating very seriously, as proven by several lawsuits against major cheat makers, including a recent suit against AimJunkies that resulted in a $4 million award for the game development studio. The game also uses BattleEye to prevent cheaters, as do games such as Fortnite: Battle Royale, Rainbow Six Siege, and Escape From Tarkov.
One way these devices function is by allowing players to change their control device output, meaning that it reads mouse and keyboard as a controller and therefore adds the controller aim assist modifier that generally exists to help controller players actively compete against mouse and keyboard players. Controller controls are usually less precise.
The modifier allows for PC player preference between mouse and keyboard and controller and offers overall fairness in cross-play where controller players may not otherwise be able to compete with mouse and keyboard players successfully. Other benefits include scripts that allow weapons to control for recoil and enable rapid-fire mods. Console players sometimes use tools such as these to allow mouse and keyboard controls on console games that don’t support them natively.
However, these devices are generally more difficult to detect than software cheats. Anti-cheat software can quickly detect changes and anomalies in the game’s code, whereas it historically doesn’t recognize adaptations like XIM and Cronus Zen because the modifications take place outside of the game environment itself.
Although there’s a limited argument that these devices exist for accessibility purposes, the reality is that the vast majority of players who use these products do not use them for such reasons.
While there’s no clear indication that Bungie will address the use of such third-party tools or, if so, when that will happen, the development studio works hard to prevent players from having strategic advantages in the game. Many players consider XIM and related tools outright cheating, meaning that players who depend on these tools should start seriously looking into aim training should they not want to face a ban as they emerge into Destiny 2 season 21 and explore everything it has to offer.