Ranked Play fix sends players soaring up the leaderboard while reigniting anti-cheat concerns.
Raven Software’s recent attempt to correct a Ranked Play bug in Call of Duty: Warzone has unintentionally thrown the competitive scene into disarray. While the fix was meant to restore misplaced ranks from the start of Season 4, it instead caused a surge of inflated Skill Rating (SR) gains, instantly pushing many players into the coveted Top 250 — without the usual grind.
Season 4, which launched on May 29, 2025, brought with it a batch of new content but also a wave of technical headaches. Following widespread reports of game crashes, stuttering, and map exploits, Raven deployed a major stability patch on June 2. The update addressed several critical issues, including collision glitches that allowed players to access unintended parts of the map.
But it was the June 11 patch — meant to fix Ranked Play placements — that has drawn the most controversy. Players who started the season lower than they should have were compensated with missing SR and three matches of demotion protection. However, the update also awarded SR in massive amounts, reportedly up to 5,000 points, instantly boosting players to elite tiers like Diamond, Crimson, and even the Top 250.
Critics were quick to react. Community page CharlieIntel and numerous players flagged the issue online, calling it a “horrible fix” that undermines competitive integrity. One user noted that players who were incorrectly reset to Bronze now had an unfair advantage, skipping the ranked climb that others have spent weeks grinding.
The fiasco also reignited long-standing frustrations about Warzone’s anti-cheat system. Comment sections across platforms filled with accusations of cheaters, boosters, and pay-to-win concerns. “I’d pay for a working anti-cheat,” one player bluntly stated, echoing a sentiment shared by many.
With Black Ops 6 still facing its own stability issues and Warzone in turbulent waters, community eyes are now drifting toward Black Ops 7. Recently revealed and already generating buzz, the next installment may be arriving at just the right time — assuming it can avoid the missteps of its predecessors.
Until then, the current state of Warzone leaves competitive players in limbo, wondering whether the leaderboard truly reflects skill — or just another glitch gone wild.
