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. A Telegram statement revealed the closure will be immediate, with the provider declining to specify the reasons. However, they assured customers this is not an exit scam and pledged to keep all services online for an additional 32 days. This extension aims to ensure those with 30-day keys receive their full value, and lifetime key holders will receive partial refunds.

This unexpected closure could significantly impact the wider cheating ecosystem, as many other cheat providers rely on Phantom Overlay's infrastructure. The news has sparked considerable reaction online. While some gamers expressed disbelief and speculation about the impact on future cheat updates, others remain unconvinced, suggesting a rebranding or continued operation under different names is likely.

Activision recently acknowledged shortcomings in their Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 anti-cheat measures, particularly impacting Ranked Play during Season 1. Despite initial promises of swift action against cheaters, Activision admitted their efforts "did not hit the mark." However, they assured players that increased activity from Ricochet Anti-Cheat systems now leads to routine bans, in addition to the over 19,000 accounts recently removed.

The persistent issue of cheating has drawn significant criticism, with many believing it negatively impacts competitive multiplayer. In response to the severity of the problem, Activision temporarily allowed console Ranked players to disable crossplay with PC players in Season 2. While cheating is a problem across many games, it's become particularly acute for Activision since the release of the free-to-play Warzone in 2020. Despite substantial investment in anti-cheat technology and legal action against cheat providers—including several high-profile wins—player skepticism towards the Ricochet system remains.

In other news, further details regarding the highly anticipated return of Call of Duty Warzone's Verdansk map are expected on March 10.