The popular Call of Duty cheat provider, Phantom Overlay, has announced its imminent shutdown. In a Telegram post, the provider stated they would cease operations immediately, but offered no specific reason. They assured customers this was not an exit scam and pledged to keep services online for an additional 32 days to ensure those with 30-day keys receive full value. Partial refunds for lifetime keys were also promised.
This closure has significant implications beyond Phantom Overlay's direct clientele. Many other cheat providers rely on its systems, potentially disrupting the wider cheating ecosystem.
Reaction on X (formerly Twitter) was mixed. While some expressed disbelief and speculated on the impact on upcoming cheat updates, others remained unconvinced, suggesting a rebranding or the continued operation under different names.
AnswerSee ResultsActivision recently acknowledged that its Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 anti-cheat measures fell short of expectations at the Season 1 launch, especially in Ranked Play, despite initial promises of swift action against cheaters. However, they assured players that improved Ricochet Anti-Cheat systems are now resulting in a higher rate of bans, including the recent removal of over 19,000 accounts.
The persistent issue of cheating continues to damage the competitive multiplayer experience, leading to criticism of Activision's response. The severity of the problem prompted Activision to allow console Ranked players to disable crossplay with PC players in Season 2.
While cheating is a prevalent problem across many games, it has become particularly acute for Activision's Call of Duty franchise since the launch of the free-to-play Warzone in 2020. Despite substantial investment in anti-cheat technology and legal action against cheat developers, skepticism about the effectiveness of the Ricochet system persists among players.
In other news, further details regarding the return of the popular Verdansk map in Call of Duty Warzone are expected to be revealed on March 10th.
