Bulkhead studio has begun implementing regional restrictions in Wardogs, explaining the decision as a measure to combat cheaters. However, the new feature has caused dissatisfaction among players from Asia and those accustomed to playing with friends from other countries. Some users have already stated their intention to request a refund for the game.
The new system limits the maximum ping to 175 ms. According to the developers, this should make it difficult for players from remote regions, where cheaters are more common, to connect, and also reduce the number of matches with unstable connections.
Bulkhead admitted that they were forced to take such a step, despite the importance of social features for Wardogs. According to the team, the priority was to protect the largest number of players, even if the restrictions affect a minority. The developers also noted that they will gradually tighten the rules for interaction between regions, as the previous approach did not yield the expected results.
The decision sparked a wave of criticism. Players point out that regional restrictions prevent them from playing with friends from other countries, even though they bought Wardogs partly for co-op matches. Some users have already reported that they intend to request refunds.
Users from Asia reacted particularly sharply to the new feature. They believe that instead of improving anti-cheat, the developers are effectively restricting access for an entire region. One player also complained about biased treatment from the community: according to him, some users accuse Asian players of using cheats without evidence, linking their suspicions to high ping.
Many similar complaints appeared in the comments to Bulkhead's announcement. The main grievance of players is that the restrictions affect those who do not violate the rules, instead of focusing on detecting and promptly blocking dishonest users.
Wardogs CEO Joe Brammer acknowledged that the current solution will negatively impact a portion of the audience. In response to a comment from a YouTube blogger who supported the studio's position, he stated that the team understands the consequences of their actions and is looking for ways to solve the problem for players worldwide.
Brammer specifically emphasized that the ping restriction is a temporary measure, not a final solution. According to him, the developers are working on a more suitable system, but its implementation takes time. Determining the actual location of users is not easy, particularly due to the use of VPNs.