Activision is trying to tamp down the impact of cheaters and bad actors in Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, but many players will find themselves shadow banned.
Hacking and toxic interactions are two of the biggest problems in the Call of Duty experience. Activision has taken a variety of approaches to remedying this, but none of them have proven successful. This is tough on any platform, but Activision has things doubly difficult as it deals with people who spent a premium price on a game and will likely do so again.
One of Activision’s tactics for this was a shadow ban system which, so far, seems to be unchanged in Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. Here’s how it works, how it impacts gameplay, and what to do if you’ve been shadow banned.
How do shadow bans work in Call of Duty: Black Ops 7?
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 has a shadow ban system that is used to sanction players suspected of wrongdoing.
Shadow bans are a common phenomenon in video games, though they work differently from title to title. The thread between each one is that they allow players to enjoy some facets of the game, while partially blocking them from others.
A shadow ban does not prevent players from enjoying the single-player experience. Instead, its effects are strictly related to multiplayer.
Instead, players are placed into a separate matchmaking pool with other accounts that have been similarly flagged. Because this pool is designed to house players who are either toxic or possible cheaters, it’s much more likely to encounter bad actors in-game. Alongside this, finding a match may take longer due to the limited matchmaking..
This often makes the shadow ban experience in Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 an undesirable experience.
Players can be shadow banned for a variety of reasons in Call of Duty games. The most is suspicions of cheating or toxicity in the in-game chat. It’s uncertain what methodology Activision uses to determine whether a player should be shadow banned. Reports seemingly play a role in this, though Activision’s Ricochet anti-cheat engine may also be a factor in some cases.
Many players have claimed that report abuse has resulted in a shadow ban. Some state that using legal but frustrating tactics, most notably camping, yielded enough bogus reports to result in a shadow ban. While this could be copium on the part of some disgruntled players, it is possible.
How to see if you’re shadow banned in BO7
Players can see their Call of Duty account state, including whether they’ve been shadow banned, through the game’s official website. There is no in-game notification in Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 that alerts players if they’ve been shadow banned. Instead, players need to actively investigate what their account state is.
The ban appeal web page on Activision’s website lets players see if their account is facing any sanctions.
Log in and enter the “appeal a ban” section. Shadow bans are indicated through a “limited matchmaking” warning. While players can see whether they are shadow banned, they cannot actually challenge or appeal the ban. All players can do in the meantime is wait. Unfortunately, Activision doesn’t offer any guidance or information regarding how long this will take.
