An all new type of gulag.
Experienced gamers who've dabbled in Modern Warfare 3, Warzone, or any recent Call of Duty title might be familiar with Shadow Bans. Now Limited Matchmaking is the next punishment to fear in the CoD scene.
Obviously, there is a reason you’ve potentially been placed into the Limited Matchmaking bracket. However, whether it’s correct is a different problem entirely.
Limited Matchmaking in Call of Duty, explained
Firstly, Shadow Bans and Limited Matchmaking are the same thing. They both place players in lobbies with like-minded individuals. This can lead to a lobby filled with cheaters and toxic gamers.
Generally, after you've been in Limited Matchmaking lobbies for a few days, Activision will review the reports against your account. If after a few days, the Activision overlords believe you’re continuing to commit the no-no’s in the list below, or to have previously, you can be temporarily or permanently banned from Call of Duty.
As shown by Activision’s menacingly named Call of Duty Security and Enforcement Policy published on Jan. 5, there are a multitude of different reasons you're in the Limited Matchmaking bracket.
Punishable offenses include:
- Extreme or Repeated Violations
- Spoofing (Hiding your cheats)
- Circumventing Security
- Cheating/Modding/Hacking
- Pirated Content
- Unsupported Peripheral Devices and Applications
- Boosting
- Glitching
- Griefing
- Offensive Behavior
- Improperly Obtained Downloadable/Unlockable Content
- Decompiling or Reverse Engineering of Game Data
- Malicious Reporting
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How to fix Limited Matchmaking in Call of Duty
To lift the Limited Matchmaking curse in Call of Duty you have to appeal the punishment itself.
To appeal a ban you’ll have to go to Activision’s website and follow the steps. If your account is "Under Review", it likely means you are already in Limited Matchmaking. Thus, you'll have to appeal your ban if you want to be free. This can take time. So, it's best to hit up another FPS title while you wait.
What is a Shadow Ban in Call of Duty?
A Call of Duty Shadow Ban occurs when Activision developers believe a player’s been committing one of the cardinal sins of gaming. This means cheaters, griefers, or toxic players are dealt with accordingly.
The Limited Matchmaking process has likely taken down a collection of those pesky hackers. As for how to fix Shadow Bans, there are methods to end the punishment. Shadow Bans lasted roughly just over a week, according to fan-theories.
While it seems like an effective strategy, it can be wrong. Regardless, the only way to fix this issue is by appealing the ban.
Keep an eye on esports.gg for the latest Call of Duty updates!
