The issue is so bad that almost everyone is under suspicion and with YouTuber JGOD blowing up off the back of his gameplay breakdown videos, often featuring hackers, a cottage industry has sprung up across social media where players analyse clips, accuse others of cheating, some of whom are prominent streamers.
These vigilantes have also earned a rather tongue-in-cheek moniker, "Warzone hackusation experts", and one has done his cause no credit after being tricked into calling out a clip of his own gameplay as that of a cheater.
The interaction happened on Twitter, with one user sending the self-trained Warzone hack detector, who goes by Headdband, a clip of a player being killed.
Thinking it was a clip from Warzone star, ZLANER, Headdband left little doubt about what he thought he was witnessing.
"What a damning clip. Great eye man. Not natural at all."
Since ZLANER has blown up, clips of his gameplay have consistently come under suspicion, so much so that, in a recent Esports Talk video on this issue, Jake Lucky claimed he was the most accused Warzone player in the world. Headdband has been one of the streamer's most vocal critics.
However, this wasn't a ZLANER clip, and once Headdband was made aware that the clip was in fact his own, simply slowed down and zoomed in, he quickly deleted his response.
The resulting furore was spotted by ZLANER himself, calling the situation "comical" but Headdband, rather surprisingly, didn't back down.
This shit is comical 😂
— ZLaner (@ZLanerOFFICIAL) September 30, 2021
"Z. Just so you know. We haven’t even gotten into the half of it on my channel. Modified input is cheating," said Headdband. "I do not hate you. I hate cheating in all forms. Even VPN or sending a hacker to kill someone for you. People are starting to realize regardless of this funny situation."
Headdband did backtrack more later, saying his initial claim the clip was "damning" was a "sarcastic response".
"People are starting to take my replies and use them against me," tweeted Headdband.
People are starting to take my replies and use them against me 😂
— Headdband (@Headdband) September 30, 2021
Understand that if your just hating to hate, and that’s obvious to me.. I will kill you with kindness and sarcasm. That’s just how I’m built.
I’m not worried about your attempts to discredit me and the mission 💜
"Understand that if you're just hating to hate, and that’s obvious to me. I will kill you with kindness and sarcasm. That’s just how I’m built. I’m not worried about your attempts to discredit me and the mission."
Sadly, this situation and the rumours around ZLANER can also fester because of Call of Duty: Warzone's lack of proper anti-cheat.
The developers are well aware of the issue too, and have stated that a system is being put in place in time for Vanguard's launch, but until then, and if it doesn't work, the air of suspicion will linger.
