Cheat Dev Claims Closure, Call of Duty Fans Doubt

Call of Duty cheat provider Phantom Overlay has announced its imminent shutdown.

In a Telegram statement, the company declined to specify closure reasons but emphasized: "This isn't an exit scam, nor did any external force compel this decision. All services will remain functional for precisely 32 more days to maintain transparency."

The extended 32-day period ensures customers with active 30-day subscriptions receive full value. Lifetime subscribers will receive partial refunds.

Industry analysts note significant ripple effects anticipated since multiple cheating platforms rely on Phantom Overlay's infrastructure.

"I can't believe this!" reacted one gamer on X (formerly Twitter). "Does Season 3's anti-cheat actually work now?"

Skeptical voices emerged, with one user suggesting: "This is just rebranding. They operate multiple shell companies - cheating won't disappear."

Activision recently acknowledged shortcomings in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 anti-cheat performance during Season 1 launch, particularly affecting Ranked Play. The publisher initially promised instant cheater removal within one match.

However, officials highlight improved detection through enhanced Ricochet Anti-Cheat systems, citing over 19,000 recent account bans as evidence.

The cheating epidemic continues plaguing competitive multiplayer, prompting Activision's controversial Season 2 decision allowing console players to disable PC crossplay.

While cheating affects numerous titles, Activision's challenges intensified following 2020's free-to-play Warzone release. Despite million-dollar investments in anti-cheat technology and successful legal battles against cheat developers, community skepticism persists regarding Ricochet's effectiveness.

Related developments suggest the long-awaited Warzone Verdansk map may return March 10 according to recent reports.