Skip to main content

What is a Shadowban in CoD Warzone and what can you do about it?

 

What is a Shadowban in CoD Warzone and what can you do about it?

Cheaters in Call of Duty: Warzone are not necessarily banned immediately after being caught cheating. There can also be a "shadow ban", with which cheaters can still access the game, but only remain among themselves.


Since the release of Call of Duty: Warzone, the battle royale has been accompanied by an unfair problem: cheaters. Lousy cheaters use programs or hardware to gain an edge in the game:


  • You can see all enemies even through walls
  • Aim bots automatically target enemies
  • Cheats instantly unlock all items in the game

There are many ways to cheat and if you get caught you will usually get a ban and then no longer be able to play Warzone with your account. But with a Shadowban, the cheaters come into play - we show you how it works.

What is a shadowban?

With this kind of "light version" of a real ban, the developers want to bring together players they are very suspicious of. If there are irregularities in the data, such as a very high headshot or hit rate, then a shadowban can occur.

At this point, the developers are not quite sure whether it is actually a cheater. That's why such players come first on their own server. In these matches, players with a Shadownban only encounter players who the developers are also suspicious of.

The usual matchmaking is then completely deactivated and only players with suspicious values ​​cavort in the matches.

How do I recognize a Shadowban?

There is no indication in the game or on any website that tells you if you are affected by a Shadowban. However, there are a few clues that you can look out for yourself in the game:

  • Long matchmaking
  • High ping
  • No chance in the match
Queues: Your pool of possible opponents is significantly smaller than normal. This can lead to a very long matchmaking.

Ping: It has been reported that the Shadowban servers are frequently pinged high. It is possible that matchmaking no longer takes the region of a player into account and that you are thus also playing on servers that are far away from your home region.

No chance: If you suddenly notice that every battle is an unfair slaughter and you have no chance at all, it could be due to a Shadowban. You are then only on a server with "suspects" and potential cheaters.


What can you do against a Shadowban?

If you have the feeling that you have received a shadowban due to the 3 identification features mentioned, then you have to wait first. Play a few more matches to be sure. If you then continue to think that you are only on Shadowban servers, you have 2 options:

  • Wait 7 to 14 days
  • Report to Activision

According to various reports, you have to wait either 7, 8 or 14 days to be unlocked again. Of course, always on the assumption that you actually haven't cheated.

You can also contact the support of the publisher Activision. There is a website for "Blocking Complaints" ( via support.activision.com ). Log in with your CoD account and submit a complaint.

Beware of perma-bans: If your account has been completely blocked, you normally have no chance of getting your account back. Only with an "unauthorized access" do you have the prospect of getting your account back.

So if someone stranger has taken over your account to play and cheat Warzone, then the ban can be withdrawn. However, you should be able to prove it in some way.

Why are there shadowbans?

Such a light ban protects normal players from suspicious or suspicious accounts. If there are abnormalities, but it is not yet 100% sure whether it is actually a cheater, a shadow ban is imposed. In case of doubt, this protects normal players without pronouncing a permanent ban.

The accounts of the alleged cheaters are also better protected. A permanent ban is usually permanent in Call of Duty and you rarely get the banned account back. The Shadowban is then a kind of "trial period" and the account is not lost immediately.

During this trial period, the developers can then again check how the suspicious player is doing in the Shadowban lobbies. Winners in a match full of Shadowban players should then be at the top of the hit list.

Comments