Many have experienced it first hand, others hear it from friends: The community around Call of Duty is not the friendliest. Just like League of Legends, the reputation precedes the game and the community. The discussion about SBMM alone seems to make many players forget any manners.
Of course, none of us is a blank slate. Everyone has had a ragequit and left the lobby or quit the game. Also, the phrase “I pressed after all” or “He’s cheating!” happens more often than one would like to admit. But it can be even worse. And at the latest, when you insult the other person, the fun stops.

500,000 banned toxic players

Just before Christmas 2021, Activision had snubbed itself with the news that 48,000 accounts had been banned by Ricochet. Barely 9 months later, it’s another whole 500,000 players who have been kicked out of Warzone and Modern Warfare 2019 forever. However, these did not stand out due to cheating, but due to toxic behavior. This includes how you behave in the lobby and what gamer or clan tag you have. Racism, sexism, insults or inappropriate behavior will be dealt with by a specially created “Anti-Toxicity Team” reviewed. Depending on the severity, misconduct can lead to a permanent ban.

With such high numbers, one naturally wonders how many players have been wrongfully banned. Again and again, players come forward who are not aware of any guilt. Activision drives with Ricochet a Zero tolerance policy And accordingly, once banned, accounts will not be unbanned. No matter how hard players try.

Nonetheless, it’s a surprisingly high number of players who have misbehaved to the point that Activision feels compelled to take such drastic measures.

300,000 players had to change their gamertag

In the course of this, 300,000 gamers were spared from the final expulsion and probably got another chance. So they had to change their gamertag to comply with the guidelines.

Code of conduct for the MW II beta

Even during the beta of Modern Warfare 2, which starts today, you have to behave. So Activision has a Code of Conduct (Code of Conduct), which you must agree to before starting.

So writes Call of Duty on their site:

“We do not tolerate bullying or harassment, including derogatory comments based on race, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, culture, creed, mental or physical ability, or country of origin.

All members of our community should be treated with dignity and respect.

Communication with others, whether via text or voice chat, must be free of offensive or hurtful language. Hate speech and discriminatory language are offensive and unacceptable, as is harassment and threats to other players.”

Presumably, exclusion from BETA could also mean exclusion from Modern Warfare 2 & Warzone 2. And as we know, Activision is tough on that. So think twice about how you behave during the testing phase. Nobody gets their money back.