Summary

  • Call of Duty implemented a ban wave to combat cheating in Modern Warfare 3 and Warzone, aiming for fair play.
  • The RICOCHET Anti-Cheat team cleared Ranked Play leaderboards, banning over 65,000 cheating accounts.
  • Player reactions to the bans vary, with some skeptical due to potential new account creation undermining the action.

In response to a recent surge in cheating that has led to significant player frustration and criticism, the developers of Call of Duty have implemented a substantial ban wave, removing thousands of cheaters from Modern Warfare 3 and Warzone. This action aims to address the issue and improve the overall gaming experience by ensuring fair play across both Modern Warfare 3 and Warzone.

Although cheating had long been a problem within the Call of Duty franchise, a recent increase in incidents began with the release of Modern Warfare 3 on Xbox Game Pass. Cheaters using the PC version from the Microsoft Store were mistakenly displayed with an Xbox logo in multiplayer lobbies due to the store's incorrect identification of them as Xbox players, which allowed them to conceal their cheating activities. Call of Duty responded to this issue by attributing it to a temporary flaw in the RICOCHET Anti-Cheat system and subsequently released an update to improve the distinction between Xbox and PC players, thereby enhancing cheat detection.

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In a recent development, Call of Duty has announced further steps in their fight against cheating. The RICOCHET Anti-Cheat team has cleared the Ranked Play leaderboards for both Call of Duty: Warzone and Modern Warfare 3, taking action against accounts involved in "cheating and boosting." Over the course of this past week, more than 65,000 accounts have been banned across both Ranked and non-Ranked modes. Moving forward, the developer has expressed its commitment to maintaining a fair play environment by continuing to monitor all game modes and issuing penalties to those involved in cheating or boosting.

Player Reactions to Call of Duty's Cheater Ban Statement

Although the statement about punishing in-game cheaters in Call of Duty appears welcoming, player reactions have been mixed. Some players have expressed appreciation and approval for the action taken, while others remain skeptical. Some suggested that banned individuals are likely to create new accounts, which could undermine the effectiveness of the bans. Another player criticized the current approach, comparing it to previous methods used in Warzone before RICOCHET was introduced, and called for an upgrade to the anti-cheat system to be more like Valorant's Vanguard, hoping it would better eliminate hackers.

While it remains to be seen how long it will take for the franchise to resolve cheating issues, it is noteworthy that banning cheaters is not the only measure recently implemented. Call of Duty has also taken action against two major cheat providers, Raging Nation and Stealthware.

Rating block community and brand ratings Image
Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2023) Tag Page Cover Art
6 /10

Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare III
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First-Person Shooter
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Systems
PC-1 PlayStation-1 Xbox-1
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Top Critic Avg: 58 /100 Critics Rec: 14%
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Released
November 10, 2023
ESRB
M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Use of Drugs
Developer(s)
Sledgehammer Games
Publisher(s)
Activision
Engine
iw 9.0
Multiplayer
Online Multiplayer, Local Multiplayer
Cross-Platform Play
PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One & Xbox Series X|S
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WHERE TO PLAY

SUBSCRIPTION
DIGITAL
PHYSICAL
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The war has changed. Call of Duty returns with an all-new campaign, modernized versions of classic Multiplayer maps and an open-world PvE Zombies experience. The campaign, a direct sequel to the record-breaking Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, sees Captain Price and Task Force 141 face off against ultranationalist war criminal Vladimir Makarov as he extends his grasp across the world.  In Multiplayer, the 16 maps that launched with Modern Warfare 2 in 2009 return with upgraded graphics, new modes and innovative gameplay features. In Modern Warfare Zombies, team up with other squads for the first time ever as you work together to survive in the largest Zombies map yet

Split Screen Orientation
Horizontal Only
Genre(s)
First-Person Shooter
How Long To Beat
5 Hours
PS Plus Availability
N/A
Local Co-Op Support
1-2 Players