Hacking and cheating issues have reached alarming levels in Warzone; however, many legitimate players are being unfairly shadowbanned. One notable case is Lenun (@LenunLH), a three-time WSOW (World Series of Warzone) and EWC (Esports World Cup) finalist. He was ranked 6th on the Top 250 Leaderboard when he was shadowbanned mid-match — his second shadowban in two weeks.
Frustrated, he expressed his discontentment, stating:
"I honestly can't take this anymore."
This article delves into Lenun’s experience and examines the broader issue of cheaters and shadowbans in Warzone.
Three-time WSOW finalist got shadowbanned twice in two weeks in Warzone
Lenun, a highly skilled Warzone professional known for his impressive performances in major tournaments got shadowbanned multiple times, raising concerns about the state of the game for legit players.
In Warzone’s Ranked Play, players frequently report encountering hackers. Lenun alleges he faced hackers for nine hours straight, repeatedly being killed by them. Yet, instead of the cheaters facing action, he was shadowbanned. Frustrated and disheartened, he expressed his disappointment, saying:
"What has happened to the game I love, seriously?"
Lenun was playing alongside Fifakill, a well-known professional who won the 2022 Warzone Solo Yolo and is currently ranked 9th among the Top UK streamers in 2024. Recently, Fifakill expressed frustration with the state of the game, revealing that he faced hackers for two consecutive days and voiced his concerns on social media.
Additionally, hackers have been exploiting the system by sending up to 100 reports with a single click, raising concerns about false reports. While developers have stated that excessive reporting won’t automatically result in shadowbans, the rising number of legitimate players being shadowbanned for no reason is concerning.
In response, the developers have taken significant steps by updating the Ricochet anti-cheat system, banning over 20,000 accounts, and tightening detection measures. They also plan to roll out a massive update to Ricochet in the upcoming Season 2 and 3 updates. However, with Season 1 still a month away, temporary measures have been implemented to keep hackers at bay.
As a result of these security improvements, some legitimate players may have been unfairly shadowbanned. To improve the situation, developers should implement additional investigation procedures and refine the Ricochet system to eliminate false shadowbans, as they damage a player’s reputation and undermine the overall gaming experience.
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