With Warzone 2 and Modern Warfare 2’s (MW2) Season 5, players are once again facing new anti-cheating approaches. However, these methods sometimes backfire, and can affect legitimate users. MW2 and Warzone 2 shadow-bans, for example, have remained a hot topic in Call of Duty forums as more and more players are pushed into cheaters’ servers.
While the point of shadow-banning is creating a safe environment for all CoD players, mass and rage reports are causing unfair restrictions. Luckily, though, Activision seems to be taking measures to address the issue and fight back against malicious reporters. Here’s every way for players to see if they’ve been affected by shadow-bans, and what to do about them.
What Is a Shadow Ban in Call of Duty?
In CoD games like Warzone 2 and Modern Warfare 2, a shadow-ban is a temporary account limit. This includes server, match-making, and opponent restrictions that stop the suspicious account from interacting with legitimate players. The point of shadow-banning is to isolate distrustful or reported users until their account is reviewed.
Signs You’ve Been Shadow Banned
A mid-game shadow-ban can be indicated by a sudden server disconnection for no apparent reason. Other signs of a shadow-ban in Call of Duty include being unable to find a match, and having a high in-game ping despite a stable internet connection. The following are signs of a shadow-ban:
- Match-making issues: Players who suddenly can’t find any matches or are pushed into repetitive lobbies might be shadow-banned.
- Ping inflation: Unexplainable ping instability is another sign of a possible stealth ban in Warzone 2 and MW2.
- Server disconnection: Getting a notice mid-game and being disconnected from the server can also imply a shadow-ban.
- Repetitive competitors: Shadow-banned players often end up in the same lobbies as their accounts are under investigation.
How to Check Possible Bans on a Call of Duty Account
To check if an account is shadow-banned, players will need to visit Activision’s Ban Appeal website. After entering the username and password, the website will tell them if any bans are detected, allowing them to appeal if necessary. Players who see the term “Under Review” below their account details are generally shadow-banned.
Note that the website won’t use any terminology discussing ‘shadow-bans.’ It will only let shadow-banned players know that their Activision accounts are under investigation, and they won’t be able to appeal until the review is over.
How to Fix a Warzone 2 or Modern Warfare 2 Shadow Ban
Temporary suspensions in Warzone and MW might take 48 hours to two weeks to resolve. There’s not much that players can do until this period is over, and their accounts are reviewed. However, they can appeal to Activision’s Security & Enforcement decision afterward. This, of course, won’t guarantee the shadow-ban’s end, but will increase the chance of a thorough reassessment.
Note that unfair shadow-bans usually end in a few hours, and players don’t need to take any specific steps to accelerate the process. If this happens, it’s best to log out of the game for a while and try finding a match after a couple of hours.
To lift undue shadow-bans, some players have been filing BBB complaints against Activision. However, that typically should be the players’ last option.
Shadow Ban vs. Cheater Mitigation
A shadow-ban is comparable to a temporary isolation room. It puts suspicious players on the same server until their CoD accounts are cleared. Meanwhile, Mitigations are an anti-cheat system that affects cheaters’ gameplay. Cloaking, for example, is a Mitigation that makes legitimate players invisible to a cheater.
Both Mitigations and shadow-bans are not permanent, and might be lifted once the player is proven to be a non-cheater. However, they can also result in a perma-ban if the account violates the Call of Duty Security and Enforcement Policy.
Is the Shadow-Ban Loop Fixed in Call of Duty?
Ahead of Warzone 2’s Season 5, Activision released a statement addressing the shadow-ban loops caused by malicious reporting and unjust mass reports. According to their new policy, players who abuse the reporting function will be shadow-banned and might face permanent penalties themselves.
The game’s new approach to dealing with reporters hasn’t paid off yet. Many players still complain about unreasonable bans, especially those caused by rage reports. But the developers have promised that the Ricochet Anti-Cheat system will get better and make fewer mistakes.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2 are available now for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC.