Activision targets Call of Duty: Warzone leaks with DMCA teardowns

Activision uses DMCA takedowns to attempt to remove leaked images from a new Call of Duty: Warzone card that hit the internet yesterday.

Copies of the leaked images, which are part of a celebrity-filled promotional video for the game, are still available on YouTube, Reddit and other sites to this day. Video Games Chronicle has confirmed the authenticity of the footage leaked yesterday, although it did not cite any specific source.

This morning, however, VGC reporter Andy Robinson tweeted that his Twitter account had been locked due to a DMCA notice surrounding this coverage. “Yet as if there was any doubt, this confirmed our story,” Robinson wrote. An Activision representative was not immediately available to respond to a request for comment from Ars Technica.

One of the first Twitter accounts to initially broadcast the video, using the pseudonym “On Thin Ice”, now includes an apology message saying, “Regarding the Warzone video we shared earlier, our intention was not malicious. We saw it being uploaded to multiple Discord servers and thought it was already public. Sorry for everything. negative effect of video sharing. “

Call of Duty News site Charlie Intel posted a description of the video in question, but the article now says in the text: “We are unable to show you any images or videos of the leak in this article due to in Activision’s DMCA notice. The account that originally posted the video also deleted it due to a DMCA request. “

You ain’t supposed to see it again

In early 2020, Activision used similar DMCA takedown requests in an attempt to limit the spread of leaks regarding the existence of the then-secret Battle Royale-style Warzone mode. In this case, Activision would also have issued a subpoena in an attempt to compel Reddit to reveal the identity of the leaker. Activision too issued DMCA withdrawals when news from Call of Duty Black Ops: Cold War leaked last summer.

Activision is far from alone in using the DMCA in this way. Sony used DMCA requests to limit the spread of spoiler-filled leaks during The Last of Us Part 2 last May. Sony also used the DMCA against the discussion of a PS4 SDK that leaked in 2017. In 2018, Nintendo used DMCA requests to limit the spread of leaked music and data from early copies of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. And in 2015, Microsoft used the DMCA to remove versions of Hello online which leaked outside of its closed Russian beta.

The new Warzone map is expected to roll out on April 22, based on an in-game counter for the game’s current Battle Pass season subscription.