Ahead of the launches of Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2 later this year, Activision has created a new, three-point Code of Conduct for the CoD community to follow, which focuses on respectful play and cracking down on anti-competitive behaviour.
The three core values of this new Call of Duty Code of Conduct are: Treat everyone with respect, compete with integrity, and stay vigilant, with the overall aim of creating an enjoyable and toxicity-free environment for players.
“We do not tolerate bullying or harassment, including derogatory comments based on race, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, culture, faith, mental or physical abilities, or country of origin,” Activision says.
The publisher also reiterates its stance on cheating. It says that “competitive integrity is core to the Call of Duty experience” and lists things like griefing, using third-party software, and exploiting bugs as behaviours that go against the Code of Conduct.
It also makes a point of reminding players that they play a part in this too, and encourages them to report negative behaviours using in-game systems when they encounter them.
In the blog post announcing the new Code of Conduct, Activision also gives an update on its toxicity crackdown, claiming it has banned over half a million accounts and seen over 300,000 offensive player IDs changed.
The Call of Duty series will see two enormously significant games launch later this year. Modern Warfare 2 will look to reverse the fortunes of its predecessor Vanguard by returning to a familiar setting with fan-favourite characters. Meanwhile, Warzone 2 will look to capitalise on the huge success of the original Warzone, and while there is very little confirmed information about the new battle royale, leaks suggest it will be very experimental.
The open beta for Modern Warfare 2 also kicks off this week, so it’s clear that Activision is setting a precedent before this huge period for the franchise kicks in. Warzone Mobile is also in development, and will likely release in 2023.
For more details about both the upcoming games, check out our Modern Warfare 2 early access and Warzone 2 release date guides. You can also find information here on how to watch Call of Duty Next, the showcase that will reveal more about MW2, Warzone 2, and much more.