Treyarch aren't everybody's favourite Call of Duty developers, but they're still responsible for two major titles in the series which garner a great deal of online play, and when it comes to the multiplayer experience on Playstation 3 and Xbox 360, they're putting the heat on hackers and modders, with a hotly worded statement from CoD Headquarters.

Legitimate players will shrug off Treyarch's warning, or at most approve of any measures to take down the less honest players that spoil the game for everybody, but smugly confident cheaters could be in for a bit of a shock if their entire Playstation Network or Xbox LIVE accounts are suspended.

"I’d like to make something abundantly clear to the community: Treyarch has adopted a zero tolerance policy towards console hackers / modders. We are actively working with our console partners (Microsoft and Sony) to take action against all proven offenders, up to and including a complete ban from all of their online services."

However, Treyarch are quick to point out that they don't want to stifle the creativity of those whose modding activities have a purer aim:

"We understand that a primary motivation in hacking / modding is to bring something “fresh” or “new” to the game. That is why the PC platform has a full suite of Mapping / Modding tools, along with plenty of [documentation][1] to go along with it. If you are interested in the technical aspect of game modding, check out the PC version of CoD:WaW, where modding is legal, fully supported, and encouraged."

This deflection of potential creators to the PC seems a wee bit irrelevant to the targeted demographic of this statement, who obviously prefer consoles as their platform of choice if they've gone to the trouble of devising a console mod.

The statement close with a final, finger-waving telling off:

"For those of you that are currently modding or are considering modding your console, this message should serve as a warning; for those of you looking to enjoy a safe and fun online experience, please be reassured by it – console hacking **is illegal**, and will not be tolerated."

So there you have it! I suppose the whole discussion will be moot come November 10th, when we all flee over to Infinity Ward's latest, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.