‘Regions Are Cheating and We Need to Address It’ — Wardogs Dev Says Region Locking Is About ‘Protecting the Largest Amount of Players’
Multiplayer first-person shooter Wardogs is implementing region locking through a maximum ping limit of 175ms to combat cheating concerns. Developer Bulkhead justified the measure by stating it protects “the largest amount of players from an influx of regions that are more prone to cheating.”
The ping-based approach is presented as a technical rather than geographic solution, intended to prevent distant players from joining matches with unstable connections. The developer claims this method also reduces cheating activity, as problematic regions are said to have higher rates of dishonest play.
However, the region lock has drawn considerable criticism from multiple player communities. Legitimate players in Asia have raised concerns about being excluded from matches despite their fair play. Cross-region players have voiced frustration at being unable to join matches with friends located in different parts of the world, citing the impact on friendships and squad-based gameplay.
The decision has reignited debate within the gaming community about balancing anti-cheat measures against player accessibility and international connectivity. While Bulkhead argues the restriction protects competitive integrity, critics contend the approach may be overly broad and impacts honest players alongside actual bad actors.