Blizzard backtracks on Overwatch 2 SMS verification for legacy players

Blizzard has pulled back from its requirement that players add their mobile phone number to their Battle.net account in order to play Overwatch 2.

It was previously mandatory for players to enroll in the “SMS Protect” system to access the game. Players who declined would be unable to login to the game’s servers.

Blizzard argued that SMS Protect was necessary as the game transitioned to a live service free-to-play model, in order to combat “disruptive behaviour” and stop banned users simply creating a new account.

However, the community didn’t take kindly to this requirement, which could be viewed as exclusionary particularly for those without a mobile phone.

Additionally, some US-based players reported they were unable to enroll with prepaid (Pay as You Go) phone numbers. The logic behind this decision makes sense, given disruptive players could potentially purchase a cheap SIM card with a new number to bypass bans. But it also had the unintended consequence of disproportionately excluding players on the lower-income scale or with a poor credit score, who may have been unable to take out a monthly contract.