Activision Blizzard has introduced a significant change in the Call of Duty ecosystem. The recent overhaul of the 'Call of Duty Security and Enforcement Policy' has brought to light a new term: 'Limited Matchmaking'. But what does this mean for players?
What is Limited Matchmaking?
Simply put, Limited Matchmaking is a sophisticated term for 'shadowbanning'. This mechanism places rule-breaking players in a virtual box, restricting their interactions with legitimate players or even suspending them entirely from Call of Duty games. Unlike a full ban, shadowbanning limits a player's game engagement covertly.
The Grounds for Shadowbanning
Activision Blizzard's post details various actions that could lead to shadowbanning, including:
- Extreme or Repeated Violations
- Spoofing
- Circumventing Security
- Cheating/Modding/Hacking
- Pirated Content
- Unsupported Peripheral Devices
- Boosting
- Glitching
- Offensive Behaviour
- Griefing
- Improperly Obtained DLC
- Reverse Engineering of Game Data
- Malicious Reporting
The broad definitions and policies of Limited Matchmaking have raised concerns among players. Questions linger about the thresholds for actions like malicious reporting and glitching. For instance, could reporting multiple suspicious players in a short span lead to an unjust shadowban? The ambiguity surrounding these policies has left many players anxious about unintentionally crossing lines.
The penalties for being shadowbanned can range from a temporary 48-hour ban to several weeks. More severe punishments include account resets, forced username changes, bans from in-game communications, and even permanent bans.
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