Cheating in Call of Duty seems to be rampant these days. However, for some people, that streak has ended. A huge wave of bans has hit the game, and over 58,000 accounts were hit with the permanent ban hammer.
But what’s got players even more rattled is the confirmation of their worst nightmare – these bans are permanent, and according to Activision, there weren’t any false bans.
Call of Duty Warzone and MW3 Hit With Tens of Thousands of Perma Bans
According to reports from Charlieintel, the ban wave was part of a targeted enforcement operation aimed at rooting out cheat vendors and their subscribers.
With more ban waves on the horizon, it’s clear that Activision is taking a no-nonsense approach to maintaining fair play in its games.
Over 58,000 accounts were banned yesterday in Call of Duty across Warzone and MW3.
Statement from an Activision rep:
"Be wary of bold claims made by cheaters trying to sell subscriptions to their wares. #TeamRICOCHET has been launching a series of targeted cheat vendor… pic.twitter.com/IquEunx7WO
— CharlieIntel (@charlieINTEL) April 10, 2024
It’s not just the bans themselves causing a stir—it’s a particular statement made by an Activision representative.
🚨 ACTIVISION’s STATEMENT ON PERMANENT BANS 🚨
We asked an Activision Representative about the recent ban wave & claims of “False Bans”
here’s their response:
“If you see a permanent ban, those are given with the most serious considerations and after significant research.
It… pic.twitter.com/Hh4w4eZN4y— Warzone Meta (@WZStatsGG) April 10, 2024
When asked about the possibility of false bans by X user Warzone Meta, the response was:
If you see a permanent ban, those are given with the most serious considerations and after significant research. It doesn’t matter what excuses people give, there are no false permanent bans.
This statement has ignited a fire on social media, with players upset and in disbelief.
While some agree that cheaters deserve to be punished, many others are concerned about the lack of trust in Activision’s ban process.
No falae permanent bans? That’s a pretty confident statement considering nothing and no one is perfect.
— Lucky13 (@13isLucky13) April 10, 2024
An old screenshot from the official Call of Duty Updates account promising to roll back false account enforcements due to an error was uploaded by an X user, adding fuel to the fire.
Just gonna leave this here pic.twitter.com/7qWEr3j794
— Tubbaluvin (@Tubbaluvin) April 10, 2024
It’s barely been a day, and players are already coming forward claiming they’ve been unfairly targeted, insisting they haven’t used any cheating tools or exploits.
@charlieINTEL just got perma’d for zero reason right out of a game. I’ve never cheated nor used any unlock tools. I just got my first nuke last night and have spent tons of money on this game and this is how they repay me.
— Adam Chapman (@AdamChapma71673) April 10, 2024
Regardless of which side of the debate you’re on, the entire discourse is a lot to process. With Activision doubling down on no false bans, and people claiming just the opposite, it’s a difficult time for players who wonder if they’ll be next in line.
Cheaters Are a Recurring Headache for Activision
This isn’t the first time Call of Duty‘s multiplayer titles have had to deal with cheating, and it won’t be the last. The games are infamous for being plagued with cheaters, despite having RICOCHET—an anti-cheating tool—in place.
Not so long ago, X user ItsHapa posted a video he received from a hacker, showcasing a cheating software that allowed players to use almost any cheat they wanted.
A ton of people had replied to that tweet, simply stating that Activision didn’t care about the state of the game anymore. Maybe this wave of bans changed the company’s mind.
What do you think about Activision’s latest anti-cheating measure for the Call of Duty games? Do you think it’s enough if it continues down this path or does it need to do more? Let us know your thoughts on this issue in the comments below.
