Call of Duty: Warzone players are experiencing game freezes and crashes during loading screens, sometimes resulting in unfair penalties. While a permanent fix is still in development, developers have implemented a temporary solution.
The Problem: Warzone players reported widespread game freezes and crashes while loading into matches, beginning in early January 2025. This issue, tracked on the developer's Trello board, caused frustration due to unwarranted skill rating (SR) penalties and temporary match bans.
Developer Response: Raven Software acknowledged the problem on January 6th and swiftly responded on January 9th. They temporarily suspended SR penalties and timeouts for players disconnecting before joining Ranked matches. This addresses player concerns about unfair punishments stemming from the unavoidable bug. Penalties remain in effect for players leaving matches mid-game.
Ongoing Issues: The underlying bug causing the crashes remains unresolved, despite a major game update earlier in January 2025. This highlights the ongoing challenges faced by the development team in maintaining a stable and bug-free experience, particularly within the competitive Ranked mode. While the penalty mitigation is appreciated, a complete fix is eagerly awaited by the player base.
The situation underscores the complexities of game development and the constant battle against bugs, even in established titles like Warzone. The temporary fix offers some relief, but the community anticipates a complete resolution soon.