According to Activision, the creators of SBMMWarzone.com have been given until Monday to shut the site down. The Belgian-based team behind SBMM Warzone was sent a cease-and-desist by lawyers representing Activision, ordering the website to be shut down due to privacy concerns.
Courtesy of Eurogamer, the cease and desist letter has been verified. Activision says SBMM Warzone violates the studio’s API terms of use and Activision’s copyright. The site is also a violation of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, while the creators of SBMM Warzone may receive fines under GDPR.
For those who are unaware, SBMM Warzone allows players to “check the level of their Warzone lobbies and compare them to those of their friends and top players.”
According to an official post from SBMM Warzone, the team has reached out to Activision multiple times in a bid to become partners, describing this latest turn of events as their “last shot.”
Activision’s lawyers reached out and asked us to shut down https://t.co/aX094FtqB8. According to their ToS, we can’t use their API. We’ve tried to reach them multiple times to become Partners, now is our last shot. Anyone working at #Activision, please reach out [1/7] ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/EBFNSee2R7
— Warzone Stats Tracker | Best Warzone Loadouts (@WZStatsGG) March 26, 2021
The site may be shut down within seven days of receiving the letter, (22 March). SBMM Warzone works by obtaining player data using the Call Of Duty API, which can then provide the useful statistics to players.
SBMM classifies Warzone lobbies by skill-based ranks. It’s a popular platform for Warzone players too, as SBMM Warzone allows players to understand Call Of Duty’s skill-based matchmaking system, depending on the lobby they play in.
In a series of later tweets from SBMM Warzone, the team said they were “eager to find a solution that suits everyone: Activision, the Warzone players, and us.”
We’re eager to find a solution that suits everyone: Activision, the Warzone players, and us. Most of all, we certainly don’t want to let down the community that has come to rely on us for their Warzone match tracking. [4/7] ⬇️
— Warzone Stats Tracker | Best Warzone Loadouts (@WZStatsGG) March 26, 2021
They added in another that if the team are unable to “find a solution, be assured we’ll reach out to you for a refund.”
In response to the news, high-profile YouTube streamers have responded, defending SBMM Warzone. Vikkstar, a prominent Warzone content creator says: “Sorry to see this happening, your site is a great asset, especially while no ranked system yet exists for Warzone. I intend to let Activision know this.”
Sorry to see this happening, your site is a great asset, especially while no ranked system yet exists for Warzone. I intend to let Activision know this.
— Vikkstar123 ★ (@Vikkstar123) March 26, 2021