Bulkhead Adds Ping Limits to Wardogs to Enforce Region Locking Against Cheaters

Developer Bulkhead has announced the rollout of backend region locking for its multiplayer first-person shooter Wardogs. The studio stated the initiative is designed to safeguard the broader user base by restricting an influx of participants from areas it identifies as being more prone to cheating. To execute this, the team is instituting a hard maximum latency threshold of 175 ping for server connections.

The restriction has sparked immediate pushback from the player community, particularly among users who rely on cross-region connections to team up with friends overseas. Multiple players have voiced frustration over being separated from international squads, with some seeking refunds. Furthermore, legitimate players based in Asia expressed concern over unfair discrimination and hostility resulting from blanket geographic and latency restrictions.

Bulkhead CEO Joe Brammer acknowledged the negative impact on affected users, clarifying that the current ping limitation serves as a temporary stopgap rather than a permanent fix. Brammer noted that tracking actual player locations is complicated by tools like VPNs, stating that the studio is actively developing alternative solutions to accommodate legitimate international play while addressing long-term cheating concerns.