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Activision has provided clarity on the mechanics of Shadowban lobbies, addressing persistent speculation regarding the influence of spam reporting on player accounts.
Shadowbans have long been a controversial aspect of the Warzone experience, though the underlying processes have remained vague to many gamers. Back in 2021, players found themselves shadowbanned if their accounts were linked to suspicious behavior.
This resulted in shadowbanned players being grouped together in specific lobbies, leading to concerns that they might be playing against other cheaters, regardless of their innocence.
Rumors had circulated among players that malicious hackers could strategically spam report others in order to trigger shadowbans without requiring numerous individual reports.
In response, Activision has clarified these processes, aiming to dispel misinformation.
Understanding Shadowbans and Spam Reporting
The Call of Duty Ricochet team outlined a new initiative designed to combat cheating in the latest season, detailing the operation of Shadowban lobbies, referred to as Limited Matchmaking.
According to Activision, “Limited Matchmaking is an essential feature that is activated upon detecting questionable conduct. This allows affected accounts to participate in matches within a separate environment, while our team evaluates all relevant evidence for potential further action.”
They emphasized that being placed in Limited Matchmaking does not automatically classify a player as a cheater; rather, it indicates that further investigation is warranted due to behaviors that potentially raise red flags, including unprecedented gaming statistics from new accounts.
Activision reported that participants in Limited Matchmaking represent less than 0.15% of the player base in both BO6 and Warzone.
Moreover, an update introduced in Season 2 has streamlined the review process, allowing accounts to be assessed more swiftly, thus reducing their time spent in Limited Matchmaking.
In addressing concerns about spam reporting, Activision stated, “Whether through in-game notifications or unethical reporting tactics, spam reporting has no impact. Additional reports will not provide any more meaningful insights.”
This statement responds to claims made by hackers in late 2024, who asserted they exploited a flaw in the RICOCHET anti-cheat system, leading to the unjust banning of a significant number of players in both Modern Warfare 3 and Warzone.
The community’s faith in the anti-cheat processes was shaken, but Activision’s recent exposition has helped clarify misunderstandings regarding spam reporting and its lack of effectiveness.
Source
www.dexerto.com