The popular Call of Duty cheat provider, Phantom Overlay, has announced its imminent shutdown. In a Telegram statement, the provider refused to disclose the reasons for the immediate closure, assuring customers it's not an exit scam and will remain operational for 32 additional days. This extension aims to ensure users with 30-day keys receive full value, while lifetime key holders will receive partial refunds.

This unexpected closure could significantly impact the cheating ecosystem, as many other cheat providers rely on Phantom Overlay's infrastructure.

Reactions on X (formerly Twitter) were mixed. Some gamers expressed disbelief and speculated about the impact on Season 3 cheat updates, while others remained skeptical, suggesting a rebranding or the continued existence under different names.

Activision recently acknowledged that its Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 anti-cheat measures fell short, particularly in Ranked Play during Season 1, despite initial promises of swift action against cheaters. However, they assured players that improved Ricochet Anti-Cheat systems are now resulting in frequent bans, adding to the over 19,000 accounts recently removed.

The persistent problem of cheating continues to damage the competitive multiplayer experience, leading Activision to allow console Ranked players to disable crossplay with PC players in Season 2. While cheating is prevalent across many games, it's become a major issue for Activision since the launch of the free-to-play Warzone in 2020. Despite significant investment in anti-cheat technology and legal action against cheat makers, skepticism surrounding the Ricochet system remains.

Separately, further details regarding the return of the popular Verdansk map in Call of Duty Warzone are expected on March 10th.