Call of Duty Bans: Cheaters Complain After Activision Mass-Ban Wave

Recent Bans Target Call of Duty Cheaters

A significant number of players participating in the popular first-person shooter, Call of Duty, reported receiving permanent bans last week. These bans were reportedly issued to individuals utilizing a recognized cheating software.

ArtificialAiming Users Affected

Video game streamer ItsHapa shared on X that players who employed services from ArtificialAiming, a cheat provider operating for over 19 years, were subject to a “massive wave of permabans.” These bans are irreversible, effectively preventing affected players from creating alternative accounts.

The streamer also shared screenshots originating from the private forum associated with ArtificialAiming. Users of their cheat, specifically the version designed for 2024’s Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, expressed their frustration regarding the imposed bans.

Player Reactions to the Bans

One user posted, “It’s been a long run. [Good game] all,” signaling acceptance of the outcome.

Another player lamented, “Lost both my main accounts today, one was almost 4 years old with mastery camos and all… think I am done with [Call of Duty]…. risk we all took.”

Expressions of resignation were common, with one player stating, “It’s done for me [I’m] leaving this.”

A further player simply added, “Same 🙁.”

Activision Confirms Enforcement

Neil Wood, representing Activision, the publisher of the Call of Duty franchise, confirmed to TechCrunch that a round of account bans had indeed taken place. He clarified that the bans weren’t limited to users of the ArtificialAiming cheat.

Wood refrained from disclosing the total number of players impacted by this enforcement action. However, previous ban waves have affected hundreds of thousands of players simultaneously.

Activision’s official statement emphasized their commitment to fair play: “Our latest enforcement efforts disrupted operations from multiple cheat vendors, disabling their tools and issuing bans to their users. We remain committed to pursuing those who threaten our community — cheaters, cheat makers, and anyone undermining the fair play experience.”

ArtificialAiming's History and Detection

According to a source familiar with the cheating community, ArtificialAiming is a well-established cheat provider. However, their cheats have faced increasing detection rates in recent years.

Past Reflections on the Cheating Landscape

A 2021 forum post, seemingly from an ArtificialAiming staff member, reflected on their 14 years with the company. The post boldly proclaimed that “cheaters won,” citing the substantial financial resources video game companies were dedicating to combating cheating.

The author wrote, “It seems like there is not a single day where anti-cheaters are out there trying to rustle our jimmies. Well the fact that there still are hundreds of thousands of cheaters out there and a lot of them coming from ArtificialAiming, means that we’re not defeated yet.”

The Financial Incentive Behind Cheats

The development and distribution of video game cheats can be a lucrative business. In 2021, Chinese authorities arrested individuals involved in what was described as the “world’s largest” cheating ring for “PUBG Mobile.”

The founder of that cheat software revealed earning at least $77 million from their operations. Other cheat developers have also reported substantial earnings, sufficient to sustain them for extended periods. Conversely, some have faced legal repercussions, being ordered to reimburse video game companies millions of dollars.

Enhanced Anti-Cheat Measures

In response to the growing prevalence and sophistication of video game cheats, companies have significantly strengthened their anti-cheat teams and technologies. This includes the implementation of anti-cheat systems that operate at the kernel level, granting gaming companies extensive visibility into computer processes.

Activision introduced its kernel-level anti-cheat system, Ricochet, in 2021, following similar initiatives by other major gaming companies like Riot Games, which launched its own kernel-level system in 2020.