Call of Duty: WWII removed after game turns into PC hacking tool | WATCH

In a troubling turn of events, Call of Duty: WWII has been reportedly taken down from PC Microsoft store following a wave of disturbing reports from PC players. Just days after the 2017 title was added to Xbox Game Pass on June 30, users began sounding the alarm about a severe vulnerability that allowed hackers to seize control of their computers during online matches.

By July 5, the official Call of Duty updates account confirmed that the PC version had been temporarily delisted while investigations were underway. The decision followed a surge in online testimonies and video evidence showing exactly how the attacks unfolded.

Taking to X (formerly known as Twitter), Call of Duty updates posted, “Call of Duty: WWII on PC Microsoft Store was brought offline while we investigate reports of an issue”.

Freezes, forced shutdowns, and disturbing messages

In one widely shared clip, a match came to a sudden halt, triggering a command prompt window that appeared without warning. Moments later, a message from the attacker confirmed they had taken over the system. In other cases, players said their PCs shut down abruptly, while some even reported their desktop wallpapers being replaced with inappropriate images.

Reports indicate that their systems were severely compromised by hackers using remote code execution (RCE) attacks. This particularly dangerous method allows hackers to run code on another user’s machine without any direct access.

More than just cheating

Security experts believe that the game's peer-to-peer (P2P) networking is the root cause. Unlike modern titles that rely on secure dedicated servers, Call of Duty: WWII hosts online sessions directly from a player’s device, making them more vulnerable to such intrusions.

Veterans of the Call of Duty PC community have long cautioned against using older titles online, warning of known exploits and insufficient security measures. While hacking in multiplayer games is nothing new, this latest issue crosses into dangerous territory, as it enables complete system control rather than simple in-game cheating.

No timeline for return yet

At the time of writing, there has been no confirmation from Activision regarding whether the Steam version is similarly affected. The publisher has also not provided a timeline for when the game will return to the Microsoft Store or what long-term security fixes may be implemented.

In the meantime, players, especially those using Game Pass or who installed the title from the Microsoft Store, are strongly advised to avoid launching the game on PC. For updates, users should monitor Activision’s official support and social media channels.