Fans of online multiplayer games continue to be frustrated by the large numbers of cheaters using mods and hacks to win unfairly. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Call of Duty: Warzone players are some of the most vocal about the extent to which hackers are damaging the online experience. So fans will be pleased at the latest Twitter post from Infinity Ward, which suggests it will not be letting up in the fight against cheaters any time soon.
The post is aimed specifically at cheaters, and those who may be considering cheating. It clearly states that Infinity Ward will not tolerate cheating in either Call of Duty: Modern Warfare or Call of Duty: Warzone, and that it will continue the big banwaves which have already seen tens of thousands of accounts permanently suspended. The message makes it clear that all the common types of cheating will result in a ban, whether using downloaded mods and hacking tools, or services that claim to help modify the game.
In response to the post, Call of Duty fans have replied with a mixture of happiness at the news, to anger that more isn't being done to fix the problem. In particular, players are requesting that the Xbox One version of the game be given the opportunity to turn off cross-play, to avoid the higher prevalence of cheating reported from PC's, as can be done on the PlayStation 4 and PC versions. In addition, many are requesting IP and hardware level bans, as well as stronger anti-cheat detection tools.
Although Call of Duty: Warzone in particular has a major cheating problem, the Call of Duty titles are by no means the only online multiplayer games suffering with the issue. Hugely popular titles like Fortnite, Counter Strike, and Dota 2 all regularly see complaints about cheaters and hackers. One option mooted by some is taking legal action against cheaters and companies who provide cheating tools, Blizzard Entertainment and Riot Games have had successful legal cases against cheating services for games including League of Legends and World of Warcraft.
Given the huge issue that cheating has become in the latest Call of Duty games, it's inevitable that more action is needed against those who use mods and hacks to win. Despite having carried out large scale bans, fans of the games are still frustrated by the prevalence of cheaters, and are rightfully looking for Infinity Ward to do more to actively detect and stop them. Despite its success, it does appear that having a free-to-play option like Call of Duty: Warzone has made the problem worse, making it much easier for cheaters to create new accounts at little to no cost to themselves. Indeed many cheaters are not even phased by the idea of a ban.
Although the issue of cheating won't be resolved quickly, today's message at least shows fans that Infinity Ward ijs continuing to take the issue seriously, and putting resources behind fixing it.
Call of Duty: Warzone is available now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.