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 no explanation provided. However, the provider assures customers this isn't an exit scam, promising to maintain online services for an additional 32 days. This extension aims to ensure users with 30-day keys receive their full value, while 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. Reaction on X (formerly Twitter) has been mixed. While some gamers expressed disbelief and speculated about the impact on Season 3 cheat updates, others remain unconvinced, suggesting a potential rebranding or continued operation under different names.

Activision recently acknowledged shortcomings in its Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 anti-cheat measures, particularly impacting Ranked Play in Season 1. Despite initial promises of swift bans, Activision now reports routinely banning cheaters through its Ricochet Anti-Cheat systems, citing increased efficiency and over 19,000 recently removed accounts.

The persistent issue of cheating continues to draw criticism, impacting 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 isn't unique to Call of Duty, it's become increasingly problematic since the release of the free-to-play Warzone in 2020. Despite significant investment in anti-cheat technology and legal action against cheat makers, player skepticism regarding Ricochet's effectiveness remains.

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