Players of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Warzone have recently found themselves facing bans for AFK (away from keyboard) farming in the game’s Plunder mode. Activision, the developer, has taken a hardline approach against cheaters and bots over the last few months, resulting in a significant number of bans. While some players argue that AFKing in Plunder is harmless, Activision appears to have a different viewpoint.
Gaining experience points (XP) in Call of Duty can be challenging, especially in highly competitive ranked modes. As a result, players are constantly seeking quicker ways to level up. Plunder, an alternative game mode, offers a way to earn XP with minimal effort, leading to some players exploiting it by playing AFK.
Reports from Call of Duty news sources, like TheGhostOfHope, indicate that several players have been banned for this practice, with many sharing screenshots of permaban notifications due to “boosting.” Matches in Black Ops 6 and Warzone’s Plunder mode last up to 30 minutes and grant XP regardless of player involvement. This simple structure allows players to farm experience by entering matches and stepping away for a while.
However, this method is now under scrutiny, as Activision categorizes it as boosting, leading to permabans. The surge in bans aligns with a broader initiative by Activision against cheating and behavior that disrupts the gaming experience. Since the launch of Black Ops 6 in October 2024, over 228,000 accounts have been banned.
While many players might welcome the reduction of cheaters in competitive modes, some actions taken by Activision have sparked debate. For instance, prominent streamers like LastChanceFPS criticize the severity of treating non-contributors the same as hackers in Plunder matches. AFKing is not the sole focus of Activision’s crackdown; earlier in 2025, a player was handed a staggering 67-year ban for violating chat policies, effectively rendering them permanently banned.
It remains uncertain whether Activision will alter its stance on bans in light of player feedback, but for now, gamers should be cautious of their actions in the game.