Activision took down Call of Duty game after PC players hacked, says source

Activision Pulls Call of Duty: WWII PC Version Amid Hacking Reports

Games industry giant Activision has reportedly taken its Microsoft Store version of Call of Duty: WWII offline due to a critical flaw that allowed hackers to compromise players’ computers. This revelation comes after TechCrunch learned from sources close to Activision that the move was a direct response to widespread hacking incidents.

Last week, Activision announced the temporary removal of the 2017 first-person shooter from the Microsoft Store, including its availability on Game Pass, citing an investigation into “reports of an issue.” However, the specific nature of the problem remained undisclosed until now.

A source with direct knowledge of Activision’s internal response confirmed to TechCrunch that the game was taken offline specifically due to these hacks, as the company works diligently to patch the vulnerability. This source requested anonymity as they were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.

Numerous video game news outlets, including GameRant, GameSpot, and PCGamer, have previously reported on player complaints. Social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Reddit saw a surge of reports from players detailing instances of their computers being compromised while playing. Players like @borraskkaaa, @wrioh75753, @RyDog2Nasty, and @Soaarz, alongside discussions on Reddit, showcased the alarming nature of the attacks, which included remote code execution (RCE) exploits. RCE is a severe vulnerability that grants hackers the ability to run malicious code, potentially taking full control of a victim’s device.

At the time of this publication, the Microsoft Store and Game Pass versions of Call of Duty: WWII remain offline, as confirmed by Activision’s official status page. Activision has not yet responded to multiple requests for comment regarding the incident.

Sources indicate that only the Microsoft Store and Game Pass versions were affected because they contained an older, unpatched flaw not present in the Steam version of the game. This suggests a discrepancy in update rollouts or maintenance across different platforms.

This incident is not an isolated one for Activision, which has faced a series of cybersecurity challenges in recent years. In November 2024, a hacker exploited a flaw in Call of Duty’s anti-cheat system, leading to thousands of legitimate players being banned. Earlier in the same year, the company investigated a campaign targeting players with infostealer malware. Furthermore, in 2023, hackers utilized self-spreading malware, a computer worm, to compromise Call of Duty: Modern Warfare players, exploiting a years-old unpatched bug.

While some video game companies, like Riot Games, have ramped up their cybersecurity and anti-cheat efforts, Activision has reportedly undergone several rounds of layoffs in recent years, which have reportedly impacted its cybersecurity teams. This raises concerns about the company’s ongoing ability to safeguard its player base from sophisticated threats.