Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Warzone players are reportedly being banned for AFK farming in the games’ Plunder mode. Activision has taken a firm stance against cheaters and bots lately, leading to a massive wave of bans over the past few months, but some think the trend has gone too far. While some Call of Duty players feel like AFKing in Plunder is perfectly harmless, the company behind the game seems to disagree.

Getting XP quickly is not always easy, especially in Call of Duty‘s highly competitive ranked modes. Players are always looking for ways to get experience without as much of a grind, and one of the best ways to level up in Warzone in minimal time is to play alternative game modes like Plunder. However, some people have found a way to play this mode that Activision does not like so much.

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Call of Duty news and leaks account TheGhostOfHope tweeted that they’ve heard multiple players say they’ve been banned for AFKing Plunder. Other fans and streamers have shared the same story, posting screenshots of messages informing them they’ve been permabanned for “boosting,” and Plunder AFKing seems to be to blame. Black Ops 6 and Warzone Plunder matches last a maximum of 30 minutes and reward XP even if players don’t actually accomplish anything within the match. As a result, gamers can easily farm experience by jumping into a match and doing something else for a little bit, but that strategy may not work anymore, now that Activision considers it boosting.

Call of Duty Players Are Getting Banned for Going AFK in Plunder

The permabans come as part of a larger crackdown on cheaters and players who might hinder the experience for others. Activision has banned over 228,000 accounts since Black Ops 6‘s launch in October 2024. While most Warzone and Black Ops 6 players are probably not going to complain about fewer cheaters in ranked modes, some of the steps Activision has taken are not so popular. Streamers like LastChanceFPS point out how treating those who don’t contribute in a Plunder match the same as hackers feels extreme.

AFKing isn’t the only thing Activision is taking a stance against. Earlier in 2025, one CoD player got a 67-year ban for violating the chat policy, which might as well be a permaban. Whether the company will adjust its approach to bans amid so many complaints is uncertain, but players should be mindful of this trend for now.