Ubisoft's wild attempt to create software that can detect and defeat people using the mouse and keyboard in the console version of "Rainbow Six Siege" (opens in new tab) seems to have worked. The makers of XIM, a hardware "spoofing" device that allows you to use any input you want on a console, say that despite their best efforts, it will not be available in "Siege" anytime soon.

The XIM is not essentially a cheat device, but is intended to allow the use of mouse and keyboard macros on consoles, but in practice it allows console cheaters to pretend they are using a controller while gaining the benefits of a mouse and keyboard.

This can be a major problem in competitive games, especially in console games without Aim Assist in multiplayer matches such as Siege. Whatever one's stance on mouse vs. keyboard skirmishes in console wars, it is clear that this is cheating.

Ubisoft's war against those who bring mice and keyboards to the controller battle began earlier this year when it began testing its software by giving some XIM users intentional input lag (open in new tab). It intensified earlier this month with the full rollout of the MouseTrap (opens in new tab) anti-fraud initiative, which saw impersonators flooding the forums for support (opens in new tab).

Of course, many expected that Ubisoft's efforts would be hampered as impersonators would find counterproductive or software workarounds to disguise their work. It's a common story in cheating, hacking, etc.; see the quote (opens in new tab) from a user on the XIM forum, where it's "highly likely" that plugging in a keyboard won't work. Other XIM forum posters have suggested that XIM users should "move on" from Siege.

Whatever your position, I think we can all agree that cheating sucks. While other shooters have made crossplay possible through various tweaks and technical choices, the developers of Siege have decided that it doesn't work for their game: use a controller or equivalent on a console, or get out.

And a quick PSA if you're using an accessibility device and get caught by this anti-cheat: Ubisoft wants to fix it.

"We worked closely with the accessibility group to ensure that the needs of players with disabilities are taken into account. This feature is designed to reduce the likelihood that disabled players who use adaptive technology to access the game will be penalized. If you are a disabled player and feel you have been unfairly penalized, you will see a QR code in-game that you can use to contact us.