Activision published a report ahead of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4's October 22 launch detailing the scale of the video game cheating economy, citing research from threat intelligence firm Intorqa. The study estimates the market generates between $5.1 billion and $13.8 billion yearly, with cheat subscriptions for just 15 popular titles alone bringing in roughly $3.5 billion, and the remainder coming from account trading, boosting, and spoofing hardware sold through organized distributor networks.
techspot.com
· 2026-09-22
Microsoft confirmed it is removing Cyberpunk 2077, Dead Cells, Frostpunk 2, Mullet Madjack and Superliminal from Xbox Game Pass on September 15. The company is adding replacement titles like Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, but critics argue the incoming lineup doesn't match the quality of what's leaving.
cnet.com
· 2026-09-02
Activision publicly posted video of a legal representative delivering cease-and-desist papers to Elocarry, a cheat seller who marketed aimbots and ESP tools for Call of Duty and other games. Following the video, Elocarry's Discord confirmed cheat sales were paused pending internal review, while Activision touted broader enforcement stats: over 375 disrupted reseller operations, 80+ cease-and-desist notices, and 30+ shuttered vendors.
techspot.com
· 2026-08-31
Court documents and industry estimates show major games like The Last of Us Part II and Horizon Forbidden West cost over $200 million each, while Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War topped $700 million across its life cycle. GTA VI, in development for nearly a decade, is expected to surpass all of these figures even before factoring in its eventual online mode.
engadget.com
· 2026-08-29
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