The popular Call of Duty cheat provider, Phantom Overlay, has announced its imminent shutdown. A Telegram statement revealed the closure will be immediate, with the provider stating this is not an exit scam and that no external pressure influenced the decision. They are committed to remaining online for an additional 32 days to ensure those with 30-day keys receive full value. Partial refunds for lifetime keys are also promised.
This closure could significantly impact the cheating ecosystem, as many other cheat providers rely on Phantom Overlay's infrastructure.
News of the shutdown sparked varied reactions online. Some gamers expressed disbelief and speculated on the implications for upcoming cheat updates, while others remained skeptical, suggesting a potential rebranding or continued operation under different names.
AnswerSee ResultsActivision recently acknowledged that its Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 anti-cheat measures fell short at the Season 1 launch, particularly affecting Ranked Play. This is despite initial promises to ban cheaters within an hour of their first match. However, Activision assures players that improved Ricochet Anti-Cheat systems are now resulting in more frequent bans, alongside the recent removal of over 19,000 accounts.
The persistent issue of cheating has drawn criticism, impacting competitive multiplayer. The situation became so severe that Activision temporarily allowed console Ranked players to disable crossplay with PC players in Season 2.
While cheating is prevalent across many games, it's become a particularly significant problem for Activision since the release of the free-to-play Warzone in 2020. Despite substantial investments in anti-cheat technology and legal action against cheat makers, skepticism about the Ricochet system's effectiveness remains among players.
In other news, further details regarding the highly anticipated return of Call of Duty Warzone's Verdansk map are expected to be revealed on March 10th.