One of the methods used by MW3 and Warzone to combat cheaters within the game is called Shadowbans. This refers to being Shadowbanned, and there are ways to determine if you have limited matchmaking.
Players entering a Modern Warfare 3 or Warzone session have their sights set on securing victories. However, the presence of a cheater in the lobby can make this goal more challenging to achieve. To combat cheaters in Warzone or MW3, RICOCHET anti-cheat and its kernel-level drivers are equipped with various measures.
Additionally, Activision utilizes various other methods, such as limited matchmaking, to prevent hackers from disrupting matches.
- Can you explain the meaning of Shadowban in Warzone?
- What does limited matchmaking mean in Warzone?
- Is it possible to receive a shadowban in Warzone?
- How to find out if you’ve been Shadowbanned
- How to get Unshadowbanned
What does Shadowban mean in Warzone & MW3?
If a player is accused of breaking Call of Duty’s Security and Enforcement policy, their MW3 and Warzone account may be put into a state of “limited matchmaking,”also known as Shadowban.
This results in their inability to join regular lobbies with the rest of the game’s community until Activision has reviewed their account. Instead, they will be placed in specialized lobbies alongside other suspected cheaters.
The restricted matchmaking status will be determined based on the suspected offense of the player. As of June 2024, CoD’s policy includes four categories of offenses and corresponding suspensions.
- Minor offense: The player hasn’t done “quantifiable” damage to another player or the “game community at large.”
- Temporary suspension: The duration of these suspensions may vary from “48 hours to two weeks or possibly longer,”depending on the seriousness of the violation.
- Permanent suspension: This type of suspension is considered “lasting and final”and can be enforced across all Call of Duty games.
- Extreme offense: The player has “caused detriment to other players or has organized large groups of players to commit additional offenses.”
Since Warzone is free-to-play, many cheaters are able to create new accounts once they realize they have been caught. Despite this, limited matchmaking effectively removes them from the regular player base and places them in a lobby with other potential cheaters.
Limited Matchmaking in Warzone
The concept of limited matchmaking is equivalent to a Shadowban in MW3 and Warzone. This means that any player who is suspected of violating the policy will be placed in a restricted matchmaking state.
Similar to the Shadowban system, this will isolate the player suspected of cheating from the rest of the player base.
You can check if you have limited matchmaking status through Activision Support.
Can You Get Shadowbanned in Warzone and Modern Warfare 3?
It is possible for a fair player to be Shadowbanned in Warzone and MW3. This has happened to numerous streamers, as well as ordinary players on a regular basis, resulting in restricted matchmaking for them.
If you are caught hacking by RICOCHET, don’t expect limited matchmaking to save you. Your account will still be permanently suspended after it is reviewed, so hacking is not worth the risk.
How to check for Shadowbanning in Warzone
When experiencing a Shadowban in MW3 and Warzone, the first sign is an increase in ping, with levels reaching 200 and a prolonged wait while trying to join a match. Once in a game, it is likely to be laggy and may have a higher presence of hackers compared to a typical lobby.
If you suspect that you have been placed under limited matchmaking, you can visit the Ban Appeal section on Activision Support to determine the status of your account. You will be able to find out if your account has been labeled as “Limited Matchmaking.”
This is a list of everything you need to do:
- Head to the Ban Appeal page on Activision Support
- Log in with your Activision account
- Press ‘Agree and Continue’
- The screen will tell you if there’s No Ban Detected, your Account is Limited Matchmaking or Permanently Banned
If you feel that you have been incorrectly placed in limited matchmaking, your only course of action is to wait. Once the Support team investigates your account and reaches a verdict, you can either resume playing without any restrictions or your account will be permanently banned. In the latter case, you will need to submit an appeal through their website.
How to Get Unshadowbanned on MW3 & Warzone
To be unshadowbanned from MW3 and Warzone, there is no automatic process available. However, you can expedite the waiting period by submitting a ban appeal through Activision’s Support Center. Please note that this does not guarantee a release from the ban, as support may uncover an issue during their review.
- Head to Activision’s Ban Appeal website
- Log into the account that has been shadowbanned
- Click ‘Agree and Continue’ once the appeal pop-up shows
- Explain your MW3 or Warzone ban and press ‘Submit my Appeal’
- Your ban appeal will be forwarded to Activision’s Support, and they will notify you via your ATVI email once a decision has been reached.
After successfully freeing yourself from the Shadowban state, it is important to double check your controller settings and audio setup in order to dominate in both MW3 and Warzone.
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