Gamers from the late 2000s and the early 2010s may remember that the voice chat in Call of Duty multiplayer games could get colorful, to say the least.
People can be heard shouting at teammates or enemies, sometimes to command them or outright insult them, some would use "your mama" jokes to demean them, while others just use color words to argue with them.
However, these things may soon remain in the past with Activision's new reporting system and moderation feature for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (MW2).
The popular game developer recently announced it had released a new moderation feature that mutes toxic players for both teams, preventing them from communicating with enemies and teammates alike.
Players are also given more ways to report offensive behavior in the game through an overhauled in-game reporting system.
Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Voice Chat Restriction Details
Activision mentioned in a blog post that MW2 players have to read and agree to a code of conduct that would appear when players select any multiplayer playlist for the first time.
The code states that players should treat everyone with respect, compete with integrity, and stay vigilant for players cheating, being toxic, and other activities that would prevent players from having a good time while playing the game.
As such, Activision won't be tolerating bullying, harassment, or derogatory comments on race, gender identity, or expression, per Engadget. Negative comments about a player's sexual orientation, age, culture, faith, abilities, or country of origin are also prohibited.
To better protect players from toxic gamers, the game comes with a new moderation feature that mutes the voice chat of toxic players in-game, preventing them from communicating anything to enemies and teammates alike.
However, the player must first be reported by someone during a match to begin the moderation process. According to Activision's announcement, once a player is verified as engaging in offensive and toxic voice chat, the game's moderation team will mute that player globally from all in-game voice chat features through a system upgrade
Similarly, players found to be abusing the in-game voice chat can also have their ability to communicate through text chat taken from them.
Unfortunately, Activision didn't disclose a procedure on how toxic players could get their restrictions lifted, though the game developer could do so at a later date.
Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 In-Game Reporting Features
Getting toxic players muted both in voice and text chat is all well and good, but without an effective in-game reporting system, toxic players, cheaters, and hackers can become rampant in the game.
As such, Activision gave MW2 a revamped in-game reporting system that would allow players to tell moderators more about a situation they wish to report through an optional dialog box.
The traditional reporting categories such as cheating, offensive Gamertag, username, and toxic behavior are also present in the system.
Activision mentioned that this new reporting system with a dialog box will also be featured in future Call of Duty games.
"Combating toxicity is an ongoing commitment," Activision said. "We look forward to making progress on this front together as we continue in the fight to make Call of Duty fair and fun for all."
