- Activision has taken down the PC version of Call of Duty: World War II from the Microsoft Store and the Game Pass catalog.
- The move comes in response to reports of RCE exploits that allowed hackers to remotely hijack the players’ PCs.
- It’s unclear when and if the game plans on returning to the PC Game Pass service anytime soon.
Following a troubled Xbox Game Pass release that was marred by hacking issues , Activision has officially taken down the PC version of Call of Duty: World War II. The action was reported by the Call of Duty Updates account on X, which stated that the game was brought offline to “investigate reports of an issue.”
The “issue” in question is widespread RCE exploits that allowed hackers to hijack PCs. Many online games have been vulnerable to these hacks in the past, including multiple Call of Duty titles. In fact, it’s well-known within the CoD community that the franchise’s older games are infested with hackers , with World War II being a prime example. This meant that thousands of players who flooded the game’s servers after it was added to the Game Pass catalog were greeted by invasive exploits instead of warm nostalgia.
It’s worth noting that the take-down is limited to the Microsoft Store and the Xbox PC app, meaning World War II is still playable via Steam. Activision has yet to confirm the official reason behind the outage or reveal a date for the game’s return.
Nevertheless, the problem could potentially damage Microsoft’s plans of adding the Call of Duty catalog to Game Pass, since players will be wary of accessing games via the subscription service for fear of similar issues.
It certainly doesn’t help that the latest Call of Duty release, Black Ops 6, is also plagued by hackers, although their malpractices are typically limited to the game’s Ranked mode. Matters hit a breaking point during Season 1, where the hacking issues ran so rampant that they caused a significant decline in player counts. This prompted Activision to announce some fundamental changes to the RICOCHET anti-cheat system, but the move failed to soothe player concerns.
A massive gaming nerd who’s been writing stuff on the internet since 2021, Aryan covers single-player games, RPGs, and live-service titles such as Marvel Rivals and Call of Duty: Warzone. When he isn’t clacking away at his keyboard, you’ll find him firing up another playthrough of Fallout: New Vegas.
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- The divisive Tactical Sprint movement mechanic could be featured in Call of Duty: Black Ops 7.
- The details on its return were revealed by popular leaker @TheGhostofHope on X (Twitter).
- Tac sprint’s potential return quickly generated some strong reactions from the fanbase.
Tac Sprint has been rather ubiquitous in mainline Call of Duty games ever since the movement mechanic’s introduction in Modern Warfare (2019). The sprint boost has featured throughout the rebooted Modern Warfare trilogy and even crossed over to Treyarch’s Black Ops 6, with the only exception being 2020’s Black Ops: Cold War. According to a credible source, the mechanic is now set to return in the upcoming Black Ops 7 .
For the unacquainted, Tactical Sprint is a brief speed boost triggered by tapping the analog stick, allowing players to accelerate movement in any direction. It’s been a core feature in Warzone since the game’s inception and has played a significant role in multiplayer across several titles. A section of players have taken issue with the mechanic, arguing that it disrupts the natural flow of matches and strays too far from the classic Call of Duty movement.
In addition to this, Tac Sprint is a favorite among sweaty players, who tirelessly pant around maps, shuffling and slide canceling their way around opponents, reducing an experience built around crisp gunplay to an acrobatics contest. This technique induces a skill gap that many feel is detrimental to the franchise. Naturally, the rumor of its return in Black Ops 7 is causing some worries within the community.
While Tac Sprint is a more natural and feasible fit for large-sized Warzone maps, its implementation on smaller multiplayer arenas such as Nuketown does feel a bit excessive. So, it will be interesting to see if Activision tones down the mechanic a touch, or if it continues to be an issue.
A massive gaming nerd who’s been writing stuff on the internet since 2021, Aryan covers single-player games, RPGs, and live-service titles such as Marvel Rivals and Call of Duty: Warzone. When he isn’t clacking away at his keyboard, you’ll find him firing up another playthrough of Fallout: New Vegas.
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