Warzone anti-cheat measures are disrupting the hacked account market's supply chain
Hacked Warzone accounts are going for how much?!
Resellers of Call of Duty Warzone hacked accounts are running short on supply due to rigorous anti-cheat measures put into place by Raven Software and Activision.
As reported by Waypoint, resellers frequently make up to $300 for hacked Warzone accounts sold through various Discord channels, which operate like black markets for this sort of stuff. Waypoint claims that accounts with the incomparably rare Damascus weapon skin can fetch up to $2,000.
Recently though, resellers are struggling to meet demand. The aforementioned Discord channels are rife with complaints about low stock as well as frustrated explanations from resellers. Activision has been flexing its grip on stolen account farms and introducing tighter account security, and apparently it's been working as intended. One reseller has resorted to offering "unlock services" for existing accounts in lieu of hacked accounts.
"Since accounts are in short supply due to security measures changing, we'll now be offering a variety of unlock services. In short we can help you unlock pretty much anything in [Modern Warfare / Black Ops Cold War]," read an announcement from one of the Discord channels.
"I wish I got any good news, so far none :) [The Call of Duty] market is pretty much f****d in terms of lobbies and accounts," read a message from a channel admin.
One user looking for "aged accounts" that might have rare cosmetics from earlier seasons was told they'd "never" be available due to Activision's cracking down on that particular underground market. Some of the company's anti-cheat tools include a captcha system that slows down automated account theft and improved tracking of hacked account resellers.
Meanwhile in-game, Activision is about to launch a Call of Duty: Warzone anti-cheat overhaul along with a new metaverse linking Call of Duty: Vanguard with Black Ops Cold War, and Modern Warfare.
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After scoring a degree in English from ASU, I worked as a copy editor while freelancing for places like SFX Magazine, Screen Rant, Game Revolution, and MMORPG on the side. Now, as GamesRadar's west coast Staff Writer, I'm responsible for managing the site's western regional executive branch, AKA my apartment, and writing about whatever horror game I'm too afraid to finish.