Changing your location on Activision can be helpful for a variety of reasons, such as accessing different server regions or enjoying regional-specific promotions. However, Activision accounts are largely region-locked, and there are limitations to what changes can be made. Here’s a step-by-step guide on what you can do if you need to change your location on Activision.
Understanding Region Restrictions
When you first create an Activision account, your location is set based on the information you provide or the IP address detected during registration. Unfortunately, Activision does not allow users to manually change their registered region, as this location becomes tied to their account. This applies across various Activision games, such as “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare” and “Warzone.” The main reason behind this restriction is to maintain regional pricing, compliance, and service consistency across different locations.
Changing your account’s registered region will not directly improve in-game performance, as you will always connect to the closest server based on your current physical location, regardless of the registered region. However, there are workarounds if you need to alter your experience in specific regions.
Using a VPN to Appear in a Different Region
One common way to “change” your location is by using a Virtual Private Network (VPN). A VPN masks your original IP address and replaces it with one from a different region, tricking Activision servers into thinking you are in a different country. Here’s how you can use a VPN to adjust your region for gaming:
- Choose a Reliable VPN Service: Make sure to use a reputable VPN provider known for low latency and secure connections, as these factors are critical for gaming. Services like NordVPN, Surfshark, and ExpressVPN are popular choices.
- Configure the VPN on Your Device: You can set up the VPN on your gaming console, PC, or even through your router. For consoles, setting up the VPN at the router level is usually the easiest option.
- Select a Different Server Location: Once connected to the VPN, choose a server in the region where you want to appear. This server location will alter your visible IP address.
- Log into Activision and Start Playing: Your new IP address will make it appear as if you are accessing the game from the chosen region. Note that while this may help you join servers in a different region, it does not change the account’s registered region itself.
Modifying Linked Accounts for Region Change
For games that support cross-play, like “Call of Duty: Warzone,” players can link platform-specific accounts (PlayStation, Xbox, Battle.net) to their Activision account. If you have created a new gaming account in a different region, you could potentially link it to your Activision account to play in that region’s environment. Here’s how you can manage your linked accounts:
- Log in to Your Activision Account: Go to the official Activision website and log in.
- Access the Linked Accounts Section: Navigate to “Linked Accounts” under your profile settings. You will see a list of platforms you can link.
- Link a New Account Created in the Desired Region: If you have an account on PlayStation or Xbox created in a different region, linking it here may provide access to region-specific servers.
Limitations and Caveats
While the above methods can help you access different regions, they come with some caveats:
- Promotional Restrictions: Some in-game events or promotions may be region-specific and not accessible even if you connect via VPN or link an account from another region.
- Server Latency: While a VPN can change the server region, it may also increase ping and latency. Choose a VPN server location geographically closer to your intended game server for the best experience.
- Activision Support Limitations: Activision’s support cannot assist with changing the registered region on your account, nor can they adjust server assignments based on requests. This means that for any official changes, such as migrating a complete account to a new region, you may need to create a new Activision account.
Changing Address and Location on Warzone
For players specifically looking to change their address details in games like “Warzone,” it’s possible to update your billing address or associated information in your account settings. However, this does not change the account’s server region and is more for payment-related adjustments.
