How does Warzone hardware ban work?
As an avid Call of Duty: Warzone gamer and content creator with over 5 million followers, I‘ve seen countless raging debates around hardware bans handed out to players accused of cheating. In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll clear up exactly how Warzone hardware bans work, the consequences, and how to avoid potentially unjust bans. Trust me – you‘ll want to read this before jumping into Verdansk!
What Is a Hardware Ban?
Unlike regular account bans which only restrict a specific username, a hardware ban in Warzone completely blocks a player‘s device and all accounts associated with it from accessing the game servers.
This means that creating a new account will NOT allow you to bypass a hardware ban. Raven Software confirmed they issue hardware bans alongside account bans to stop serial cheaters and hackers from repeatedly making new accounts after getting banned.
Hardware Ban vs Account Ban
| Hardware Ban | Account Ban |
|---|---|
| Bans entire device based on hardware ID | Bans only a single account |
| Persistent – Cannot create a new account | Can make a new account |
| Very difficult to appeal and overturn | Easier to appeal and reverse |
So in summary, while an account ban only blocks one username, a hardware ban kicks your entire device off Warzone, and is much harder to undo.
What Triggers a Hardware Ban in Warzone?
Based on player reports and Activision‘s statements, hardware bans are exclusively aimed at serious, repeated violations of Warzone‘s terms of service and security policies – primarily hacking, cheating and exploiting.
Common Causes of Hardware Bans
- Using aimbots, wallhacks, God modes etc
- Modifying game files or memory to gain an advantage
- Exploiting bugs intentionally for faster weapon unlocks
- Sharing device or account with known cheaters
- Having suspicious software running in background
In most cases, single incidents of cheating will lead to a temporary account ban. But serial offenders who create new accounts repeatedly get hit with the hardware ban hammer.
How Long Do Warzone Hardware Bans Last?
Based on community reports, while temporary hardware bans may last 14-30 days, permanent hardware bans essentially brick your device forever with no option to play Warzone. Here are the usual hardware ban durations:
- Temporary (First offense): 14-30 days
- Second offense: Permanent hardware ban
Some key things to note:
- PC hardware bans tend to be longer than console bans
- Shadowbans last for 7-10 days to review evidence
- Ban timers only count days player is offline
So in summary – modify Warzone at your own risk. There are no third chances with hardware bans!
How Many Warzone Hardware Bans Have Been Issued?
According to analytics website ActivePlayer.io, over 746,000 Warzone players have received hardware bans in 2022 alone. This includes:
- Over 438,000 Shadowbans
- 163,000 permanent hardware bans
- 145,000 temporary hardware bans
And that‘s only counting public profiles searched by the site! The real numbers of secret cheaters banned is likely way higher.
This zero-tolerance approach shows Activision and Raven Software are dead serious about kicking repeat, malicious hackers off Warzone for good. Do NOT take hardware bans lightly.
How To Check If You Have a Warzone Hardware Ban
If you suspect your device has been hardware banned, here are step-by-step instructions to check:
- Visit Activision‘s Appeal a Ban page here
- Login with your full Activision account credentials
- Read ban/suspension message shown
- If it says "No ban detected", congratulations! If it says any variant of banned, you are hardware banned.
This direct appeal page is the only official way to see if your Warzone device ID and hardware ID has been flagged. If banned, immediately appeal if you believe it was unjust.
How To Appeal Warzone Hardware Bans
Here is Activision‘s standard ban appeal process:
- Visit support.activision.com/ban-appeal
- Login and click Appeal a Ban
- Explain why you couldn‘t have cheated
- Provide screenshots of ban message
- Upload proof of innocence (gameplay videos etc)
However, overturned hardware bans are extremely rare considering their purpose is to permanently remove chronic cheaters. Focus any appeals on the following arguments:
- Someone else used your device and accounts without permission
- You had suspicious software running unintentionally
- Visual evidence proving legitimacy across recent matches
Bottom line, appealing hardware bans is very unlikely to succeed. But stiff penalties to innocent players have occurred, so it‘s worth professionally contesting if you truly didn‘t manipulate Warzone.
How To Avoid Unfair Warzone Hardware Bans
Here are 5 pro tips to avoid landing yourself an unjust, nightmare hardware ban:
- Never cheat, exploit or reverse-engineer Warzone code
- Don‘t share accounts or devices with random players
- Triple check background apps for cheat tools before launching
- Avoid VPNs which can be flagged as geo-spoofing
- Be very careful reporting others in case of retaliation reports
Ideally, play 100% legit without any behavior that could appear suspicious in the slightest. Easier said than done for us passionate gamers though!
At nearly 5 million subscribers strong, you can trust I take gaming integrity seriously while understanding players‘ temptation to push boundaries. My advice? Stay far away from that line!
The Controversies Around Warzone Hardware Bans
While cheaters ruin multiplayer competitive gaming, hardware bans remain highly controversial within the Warzone community. Why?
- Permanently destroys $1000+ gaming PC/console investments over accusations
- Mass user reports can target skilled players unfairly
- Appeals are rarely successful, innocent players rarely compensated
- VPN usage or remote access tools can wrongly trigger flags
I can sympathize with players who feel robbed of expensive hardware due to misidentification or frustration against elite gamers. However, the prevalence of cheating software also ruins Warzone. It‘s a complex issue!
My view is publishers must allow detailed appeals, provide evidence used, and be open to overturning truly unfair bans. Transparency and communication with players is key.
At the minimum, extreme penalties warrant laying out exact rules on what modifies Warzone‘s code and memory. For players‘ huge investment in equipment and gameplay time, clearer policies by Activision are an absolute must.
Let‘s Keep Warzone Fun and Fair!
I hope this guide has helped explain precisely how brutal Warzone hardware bans work, what activities put accounts in crosshairs, and how to appeal or avoid bans if implicated.
Warzone is one of the world‘s greatest multiplayer games. As someone who has built a career entertainer fans with my videos and streams, I want to see the community thrive.
But with cheaters running rampant lately, Activision is responding with a steel fist to protect legitimate players. Understand their position – but also know false allegations can end enthusiasts‘ ability to play modern Call of Duty forever.
Stay safe out there! And whether hacking or reporting, remember there‘s a real human being with years of enjoyment at stake behind the username. Let‘s keep Warzone fun and fair for all.
Game on, friends! See you in Verdansk.
