Why is Activision shadowbanning players in Modern Warfare 3 beta?

Modern Warfare 3 is less than a month away from official release. Many fans have been anticipating the game's release since it was leaked as early as February 2023. The excitement quickly reached its peak following the official announcement. To give the fans a taste of what to expect in the upcoming installment, an Open Beta was announced by Activision.

The test phase was conducted across specific periods, with one organized from October 8-10 on PlayStation. This was followed by an all-platform phase from October 14-16.

Fans could access the Open Beta as long as they downloaded the beta client on their respective platforms. It featured several of the core maps, such as Favela, Rust, and Highrise, which were playable through classic game modes. Furthermore, they got to witness the Ground War mode.

However, several players were abruptly shadowbanned, prohibiting them from accessing the MW3 Open Beta.

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Why were innocent players shadowbanned from Modern Warfare 3 beta

Numerous players had their time with the MW3 Open Beta cut short before the actual beta phase ended. Struck with shadowbans, they were prevented from accessing the beta any further. It would seem that players who got shadowbanned were penalized after their username was reported.

The report could be because of cheating or tactless conduct. Regardless of the reason, it seemed that players could spam the report function on someone until they got shadowbanned.

While user reports can be helpful in identifying problematic individuals, they can also be fallacious. Some players tend to issue false reports about cheating or being toxic, which seems to be the case on this occasion. This is a major problem in multiplayer games that developers must address.

Activision's response to this issue has not been well-received since many innocent players have been affected. Fans are hoping that the reporting and banning system will be fixed before Modern Warfare 3 officially arrives on November 10, 2023.

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What can fans expect from Modern Warfare 3

MW 3 will release on November 10, 2023 (Image via Activision)

In Modern Warfare 3, the campaign will continue the story of Task Force 141 and reintroduce one of the most iconic villains in the franchise, Vladimir Makarov. Furthermore, it's set to incorporate new sandbox elements that allow multiple ways of completion.

Many beloved multiplayer features from older Call of Duty titles are also making a return with Modern Warfare 3. As reported by @charlieINTEL, one of the most anticipated game modes is Call of Duty: Zombies.

This marks the first time a Zombies mode is making its way to a Modern Warfare setting, and it is reportedly set to be the biggest iteration yet.