If you're playing the Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 port on PS4 or PS5 (it was released last month), a recent update may incorrectly inform you that you've been banned, when this isn't the case.
Eurogamer spotted the issue as highlighted by the developer in a post on X, acknowledging that errant ban messages are being sent to gamers who are likely to end up very confused. The good news is that the 'ban' is easily lifted (at least for those who've been accidentally hit with the banishment stick).
Popular Now: 4GB and 6GB GDDR7 chips could enable 192GB workstation GPUs by 2027-28Activision explains that:
"We've released backend updates to improve match security as we review accounts with incorrect Prestige levels.
"While this work is underway, some players may briefly see an account ban notice when they're removed from a match or session so our systems can correctly apply updated account data. This is a byproduct of legacy systems used by older titles and does not necessarily mean enforcement has been taken against the account."
If you see said ban message, all you have to do is ignore it and reconnect, and you'll be fine. However, if you can't reconnect, then Activision explains that your account is actually suspended due to "evidence of intentionally obtaining unauthorized Prestige levels or other violations".
There's been a lot of trouble with hackers messing with players of the Black Ops 2 ports, sadly. As Eurogamer observes, all you have to do is join a game lobby that a hacker has poisoned to bump everyone to Max Prestige.
As one poster on X puts it: "The game isn't safe! Every lobby has at least one person that has a glitched rank. There are hackers everywhere that max people's stats. The game loses the incentive to play if you don't have anti cheat."
Frequently Asked Questions
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Why am I seeing an account ban message when launching Black Ops 2 on PS4/PS5?
If I get the ban message, what steps should I take to get back into a match?
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What does Activision say is causing these erroneous ban notices?
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To be fair to Activision, updates for these ports have been coming through regularly, and the dev is addressing the hack-related problems as noted - but it's hardly an ideal situation for gamers who are effectively scared to play right now.
