Cheat Developer Claims Shutdown Amid Skepticism from Call of Duty Players

The popular Call of Duty cheat provider, Phantom Overlay, has announced its immediate shutdown, leaving the gaming community in shock. In a statement shared on Telegram, the provider emphasized that this was not an "exit scam" and assured users that no external pressures influenced this decision. They committed to keeping their services online for an additional 32 days, ensuring that customers with 30-day keys can fully utilize their purchases. Additionally, those with lifetime keys will receive partial refunds, demonstrating the provider's commitment to its user base.

Phantom Overlay's closure could have ripple effects across the cheating ecosystem, as many other providers rely on its systems. This move has sparked various reactions among gamers. One enthusiastic player on X (formerly known as Twitter) expressed hope that this might improve the effectiveness of anti-cheat measures in the upcoming Season 3. However, skepticism abounds, with some suggesting that Phantom Overlay might simply be rebranding and continuing operations under different names.

Activision has been grappling with cheating issues, particularly in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. They recently acknowledged that their anti-cheat efforts "did not hit the mark" at the launch of Season 1, especially in Ranked Play. Despite initial promises to remove cheaters within an hour of detection, the company has since improved its response, boasting increased "velocity" in banning cheaters and recently removing over 19,000 accounts. The prevalence of cheating has led to significant player frustration, prompting Activision to allow console Ranked players to disable crossplay with PC players starting with Season 2.

Cheating in Call of Duty has been a persistent issue since the launch of the free-to-download battle royale game, Warzone, in 2020. Despite substantial investments in anti-cheat technology and legal actions against cheat developers, skepticism about the effectiveness of the Ricochet Anti-Cheat system persists among the fanbase.

In other news, anticipation is building as more information about the return of the beloved Call of Duty Warzone Verdansk map is expected to be revealed on March 10.