It might be time to call it a day on Call of Duty: Warzone in the esports market. Time and again, cheaters and other malicious operators disrupt competitions and events, in addition to spoiling the general platform that has now been up for more than five years. The latest event, the NA In-Game Open, which sits on the road to the World Series of Warzone, is no different.
On social media, popular streamers participating in this qualification-for-qualification event in North America have been sharing clips of blatant cheaters taking them down and attempting to boot them out of the running.
This is a $1 million tournament, by the way.
Make it Make Sense
On social media, clips from the likes of FaZe Flxnked and JoeWe have been doing the rounds, showcasing overt instances of cheating in the NA In-Game Open. This is the opening event of the World Series of Warzone 2025 season, and it’s through this event that players can qualify for the later Group Qualification stages.
It’s nothing short of punishing, as this is far from the first event that has been bagged on by cheaters in the Warzone space:
$1,000,000 Tournament btw
The World Series of Warzone is the top-flight tournament in the space, backed by Activision and featuring the talent from the biggest esports organisations linked to the game. It’s rivalled only by the (newer) Esports World Cup, which also features a hefty event and a chunky prize pool.
We play a very serious and competetive esport for $1,000,000…
While some might knock it and laugh it off as being ‘just Warzone’, this is a huge issue for the competitors and streamers who rely on Call of Duty: Warzone and the tournaments in the scene to make a living. It might not be ideal, but it’s the path they’ve chosen. However, it’s becoming clear that many with a career in competitive Call of Duty are looking for an out, one way or another.
Do you think Activision is doing enough to keep cheaters out of the esports scene for Warzone? Let me know your thoughts on the Insider Gaming forum.
For more Insider Gaming esports, check out ZywOo’s reaction to ending his 131-day win streak
Grant has been gaming for 30+ years and in the industry for 10+. You'll probably find him playing a post-apocalyptic game or an extraction shooter somewhere.
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