Official reasons for Shadow Bans / Limited Matchmaking

[thalx]

Since there's so much confusion here, here are the official reasons why you can get a "Shadown Ban", officially called "limited matchmaking".

Reasons why you can get "limited matchmaking":

• Cheating or Using Hacks:
  The use of unauthorized third-party software to gain an unfair advantage in the game is a primary reason for shadow bans. This includes aimbots, wallhacks, and other cheats that disrupt the integrity of competitive play.
  
  
• Toxic Behavior:
  Engaging in toxic behavior, such as harassment, use of hate speech, or other forms of misconduct towards other players, can result in punitive actions including shadow bans. Activision aims to maintain a respectful community.
  
  
• Exploiting Game Glitches:
  Actively exploiting game glitches for an unfair advantage like line-of-sight glitches.
  
  
• Account Security Issues:
  Sometimes, a shadow ban can be placed on accounts that have been compromised or are involved in suspicious activities that might indicate a security risk.
  
  
• Avoidance of Geographical Restrictions:
  VPNs can mask your actual location, allowing players to bypass geographical restrictions or to play in regions with easier matchmaking. Game developers may view this as an attempt to exploit matchmaking systems.
  
  
• IP Address Anomalies:
  VPNs often rotate IP addresses or share them among multiple users. If an IP address is flagged for suspicious activity or cheating, other users sharing that IP via a VPN could also be mistakenly penalized.
  
  
• Evasion of Prior Bans:
  Attempting to evade a prior ban by creating or using other accounts can lead to further restrictions, including shadow bans.

You will not receive "limited matchmaking" due to:

    
• Reports by Other Players:
  Reports made by other players are typically reviewed and need to be substantiated with evidence of cheating, exploitation, or other violations of the game's terms of service. Mere reports without corroborating evidence of misconduct do not automatically lead to punitive actions like limited matchmaking. The review process aims to filter out false or malicious reports.
  
      
• Having Developer Software:
  Possessing software development tools like Visual Studio, Python, or similar programming environments on your computer is not a violation of any terms of service for playing online games, including Call of Duty. These tools are standard for software development and unrelated to game cheating or hacking activities.
  
      
• Skilled Player:
  Modern anti-cheat systems are designed to distinguish between legitimate skill and potential cheating through sophisticated monitoring and analysis techniques. These systems analyze gameplay for patterns and behaviors that are indicative of cheating rather than skill.

[Путин]

Source:
https://mein-mmo.de/cod-warzone-shadowban/
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With such a light ban, normal players are protected from conspicuous or suspicious accounts. If there are any abnormalities, but it is not yet 100% certain whether it is actually a cheater, a shadowban will be imposed. In case of doubt, this protects normal players without issuing a permanent ban.

The accounts of the alleged cheaters are also better protected. A permanent ban is usually final in Call of Duty and you rarely get the banned account back. The shadowban is then a kind of “trial period” and the account is therefore not immediately lost.

During this trial period, the developers can then check how the suspected player performs in the shadowban lobbies. Winners in a match full of shadowbanned players are likely to be at the top of the hit list.

If you want to read more about Call of Duty’s anti-cheat measures, check out our article on “RICOCHET”. The system goes online in Warzone on December 8th: CoD Warzone will soon have a new anti-cheat system - this is “RICOCHET”
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Source:
https://www.ingame.de/news/call-of-duty/warzone-experte-ban-call-of-duty-activision-infinity-ward-sperre-shadowban-santa-monica-91678004.html
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How to get a shadowban: It seems as if Call of Duty is throwing around its shadowbans. This affects streamers, but also normal players who want to play a few rounds in Warzone. However, it is not Infinity Ward who decides who gets a shadowban, but the players themselves. Because the mechanics run via the reporting system in Call of Duty.

Every player has the opportunity to report an opponent to the developer for various things. If a player is increasingly reported for cheating, they will be shadowbanned. A shadowban can be maintained for up to two weeks. During this time, the developers check whether the player is really cheating.

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Source:
https://www.callofduty.com/blog/2023/11/call-of-duty-ricochet-anti-cheat-modern-warfare-III-progress-report

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How we use player reporting - A common misconception we see is that spam reporting will result in actions being taken against accounts. For clarity, whether one player reports another once or multiple times, our system only considers the first report (throttling any additional reports from that player).

Reporting is critical but, must be used in combination with other factors before an account is actioned on. An account, for example, cannot be banned due only to reporting but if that account has also triggered other (and multiple) detections, a report can raise a red flag."

You know what gets people shadowbanned? VPN and Toxicity. Based on your replies in this thread it's clear this is not a theory.

[HellRaiser_29]

some "pgm" must read this post, moaning about "mass reported/rage looser player" shadowban would be the light in the dark for them

[I BEAT OTZ]

everyone i know who was getting shadow banned often got perma ban eventually

[slaveryatfinest69]

also me straight plyaing 3days with vpn bot still get no shadowban and waiting for it

[cawolf831]

Originally posted by slaveryatfinest69:

also me straight plyaing 3days with vpn bot still get no shadowban and waiting for it

which vpn are you using?

[cosgrove miranda]

I've been doing a lot of research and I just wanted to leave a comment here to say that the logic you're using is a little flawed. I've been "shadowbanned" / "limited matchmaking" a few times in the past year or so. I've never been banned on any 'other' account. I don't exploit, I don't cheat, I don't use VPNs etc. Looking through your list really none of these factors applies to me yet I've experience about 4 shadowbans that have all lasted around a week or so? 2 of them however were directly in relation to reports which seems to be the thing you're listing as 'not a factor.' 2 of the my shadowbans/limited matchmaking followed a squad wipe where the enemy squad screamed "reported" in the mic and I was spectated for 1 minute then kicked and shadow. It actually is so directly linked to reports that i have 2 hilarious clips of how fast it was from some people screaming they are going to report me to me getting kicked and shadowbanned in under 1-2 minutes. I just wanted to say that as your list says the opposite but I would wager a solid amount of money on the fact that I believe you're wrong.

__

edit: I realized this isn't your list, it's the official post, not criticizing you, just what they laid out here.

[EGGSCELLENT]

this topic is just a bullsh#t :D I got weekly sb-s without doing anything.. :D
Yesterday's example: team wiped a trio rage kid, who were spectating me and spam report...1 minutes later, viola I got shadow ban...thats all.
Activision's anticheat is like nothing..the whole system is ♥♥♥♥..it check only the nr of reports...thats ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ all

[AkiraJkr]

By the way, the part about "Reports from other Players" is pure ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥.
You can quickly reproduce a shadowban, if you get reported by like, more than a full squad, it's an instant shadow ban. No question. The game doesn't care if you're guilty or not of cheating. You get booted and that's it.

People literally have clips of it happening. Activision just refuses to acknowledge it. You can't play good or try to have fun with a chaotic loadout that you immediately get reported into a shadowban.
PS: Spam Reporting is useless.

[Twisted_717]

ive literally been shadow banned for longer than ive not been shadow banned in the last 2 months. ive got 3 of my most recent bans live on twitch. i dont cheat or vpn or anything like that. Twitch.tv/twisted_717 you can look for yourselves. they lie straight to your face when they say its not from mass reporting. i have literal proof

[PuppyGirl]

Originally posted by Twisted_717:

ive literally been shadow banned for longer than ive not been shadow banned in the last 2 months. ive got 3 of my most recent bans live on twitch. i dont cheat or vpn or anything like that. Twitch.tv/twisted_717 you can look for yourselves. they lie straight to your face when they say its not from mass reporting. i have literal proof

Your account t is looking very sus it allows the pattern of a cheater profile

[TannyP00]

Been scrolling through the internet religiously trying to find a solution. I think i got hit with a "SB" a few days ago because it takes ages to find a match, and when i do get in, someone is cheating. I dont have a ban to appeal, so what can i do?

[The Weasel]

Originally posted by TannyP00:

Been scrolling through the internet religiously trying to find a solution. I think i got hit with a "SB" a few days ago because it takes ages to find a match, and when i do get in, someone is cheating. I dont have a ban to appeal, so what can i do?

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3298072898

If you have no ban detected then your not ban.

[AUGU$TO CE$AR™]

THIS POST IS FAR FROM REALITY.