We've seen mixed reactions over the recent PlayStation 3 root key exploit that has Sony looking for a legal passage against would-be jailbreakers. While some argue that it's all about whether users really own the devices they purchase to modify or tweak at will, others are more concerned that hackers and cheaters jumping into online games might ruin the experience for everyone else. Unfortunately, the latter seems to be an issue for Modern Warfare 2.
According to reports, many hackers are already taking advantage of the security loophole to mess up the in-game stats and rewards for players. Though it's worth noting this is not necessarily the first time the Call of Duty franchise have been affected by such issues, posters on the Infinity Ward forums seem to suggest that it's gotten much worse. "This issue is really out of hand. I can't log on without getting de-ranked," said one user.
Infinity Ward's creative strategist Robert Bowling addressed this issue on the forum, basically saying that there's not much they can do unless the security exploit itself is resolved on the platform. They are currently exploring every option available and are encouraging users to report inappropriate players to Sony. Furthermore, the developer indicated that it would begin using additional security measures for its future titles, and "not rely solely on platform security."
We haven't heard of other games being affected by rampant cheating during multiplayer matches, so maybe pinning all the blame on Sony is a bit premature. Especially considering this has been an issue on all platforms and apparently neither Infinity Ward nor Activision showed much interest in addressing the problem from the start.
If you own a PS3 and have been experiencing any issues with MW2 lately be sure to let us know in the comments.