Activision has gotten creative in tackling Call of Duty’s cheating problem, but that hasn’t stopped hackers from finding workarounds.
On Dec. 22, 2023, Activision reported that over 23,000 accounts have been banned since MW3 launched, and much of that got credited to RICOCHET anti-cheat’s innovative mitigation techniques. New to MW3, the devs implemented AI “machine learning” to weed out wrongdoers, and have deterrents in place such as splat which sends cheaters plummeting to their death or a hallucination effect that placed decoy characters within the game that could only be detected by cheaters. Despite rigorous efforts, a new cheating service emerged from the shadows.
What is Phantom Overlay for MW3 and Warzone?
Phantom Overlay is a cheat provider which allegedly makes it possible for players to see enemies through walls and lock on to an enemy with an aim bot. The cheating service advertises customization tactics that allow players to hide anything that would suspect them of any wrongdoing.
MW3 and Warzone players on PS5 managed to catch a lucky break in January as a system update disabled Cronus Software, which was originally the most popular way to alter mechanics like aim assist and recoil control. The same can’t be said about PC, as yet another cheating service is making the rounds.
Fortunately, there is a way to take matters into your own hands if you encounter someone using the Phantom Overlay cheat system.
How to report a player for cheating in MW3 or Warzone
Here is how to self-report a player if you suspect them of cheating in MW3 or Warzone.
- Open the Options menu and select Report Player at the bottom of the screen.
- Check the player you’d like to report, then select Report.
- Choose from the available reasons for your report.
- Select Send Report or Report & Block Player.
