Prolific Call of Duty Cheat Developer Insists It's Shutting Down — but Players Are Skeptical

The popular Call of Duty cheat provider, Phantom Overlay, has announced its imminent shutdown. In a Telegram statement, the provider offered no specific reason for the immediate closure, stating only that it's not an exit scam and that no external forces compelled them to shut down. They pledged to keep all services online for an additional 32 days to ensure those with 30-day keys receive their full value and to offer partial refunds for lifetime keys.

This closure could significantly impact the cheating ecosystem, as many other cheat providers rely on Phantom Overlay's infrastructure. The news sparked a flurry of reactions online. One gamer on X (formerly Twitter) expressed disbelief, speculating about the impact on a Season 3 cheat update, while others were more skeptical, suggesting a rebranding or the continued operation under different names.

Activision recently acknowledged that its Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 anti-cheat measures ("Ricochet") fell short of expectations at the Season 1 launch, particularly in Ranked Play, despite initial promises of one-hour bans for cheaters. While admitting shortcomings, Activision highlighted increased ban rates due to improved Ricochet systems and the recent removal of over 19,000 accounts.

The ongoing issue of cheating in competitive multiplayer has drawn significant criticism, prompting Activision to allow console Ranked players to disable crossplay with PC players in Season 2. Although not unique to Call of Duty, the problem has intensified since the 2020 release of the free-to-play Warzone. Despite substantial investment in anti-cheat technology and legal action against cheat makers, skepticism regarding Ricochet's effectiveness persists among fans.

In other news, further details about the return of the popular Call of Duty Warzone Verdansk map are expected to be revealed on March 10th.