Overwatch 2’s launch has been plagued by a number of issues that have left the fans frustrated. One of the biggest problems is Blizzard’s requirement of adding a postpaid phone number to the Battle.net client to play the game. Here’s how to play Overwatch 2 without a phone number.
Blizzard has introduced a new “SMS Protect” scheme that asks the players to add and verify themselves with a postpaid number on the Battle.net client before playing Overwatch 2. However, it’s luckily axing this requirement for “some” players.
There was a massive outcry against the rule as many players were left clearly annoyed due to not having a postpaid phone number. This, coupled with issues like the LC-208 error and another game version error, has left the players wanting to scratch their hair.
Blizzard Makes it Possible to Play Overwatch 2 without a Phone Number
Blizzard has shared an apology to players for a problematic launch while announcing a major policy change for returning players. It announced that “a majority of existing Overwatch players” won’t need a phone number to be attached to a Battle.net account to play Overwatch 2.
“We have made the decision to remove phone number requirements for a majority of existing Overwatch players,” said the Overwatch team on Blizzard’s official forum.
“Any Overwatch player with a connected Battle.net account, which includes all players who have played since June 9, 2021, will not have to provide a phone number to play.”
Blizzard confirmed that players who have played Overwatch 1 at least once since crossplay was introduced on June 9, 2021, till the game’s shut down on October 2nd will be able to play Overwatch 2 without needing a phone number to attach to their Battle.net account.
How to Play Overwatch 2 Without a Postpaid Phone Number?
Yes, you can play Overwatch 2 without a postpaid or prepaid phone number starting Friday, October 7, 2022, if you have previously played Overwatch between June 9, 2021, and October 2, 2022.
Blizzard is axing the requirement to link their phone number for most of the returning players. However, if you haven’t played Overwatch before and you are starting off with a completely new account, your journey is going to be a bit difficult.
You must add a phone number to your Battle.net account by visiting here. Remember that you can’t add a prepaid number or VoIP. If you don’t do it, you won’t be able to play Overwatch 2.
Additionally, new players will also need to play at least 100 matches to unlock all game modes and heroes.
Why is a Postpaid phone number required to play Overwatch 2?
Blizzard previously explained why a postpaid phone number is a must to play Overwatch 2 in an interview with Forbes. It introduced the “Defense Matrix Initiative” to prevent bad actors from being able to use cheats and create additional accounts known as “smurfs.”
Before Overwatch 2, cheaters can only buy Overwatch when their accounts got banned. Now that the game has become free-to-play, it would become easier for cheaters to create smurf accounts if adding a postpaid phone number wasn’t a key requirement.
Blizzard calls it the “SMS Protect Scheme” where players must add their postpaid phone number to the Battle.net client before proceeding to play Overwatch 2. It has also introduced the “First Time User Experience” that will make new players unlock modes and heroes gradually after their onboarding.
Players are desperately calling for Blizzard to axe these as many of them can’t enjoy Overwatch 2 due to these limitations. Not everyone possesses a postpaid phone number and its requirement to play Overwatch 2 has become a huge problem for players.
The returning players have got a sigh of relief as they don’t need a phone number to play Overwatch 2 now. However, the new players and the players who are returning after a very long time are still struggling.
Do you think these methods are fair enough for the rest of the Overwatch players? Share your opinions in the comments.
This phone number requirement is ridiculous. I play and my 3 kids want to play. I only have 2 phone numbers. Two out of 3 kids can’t play because I only have 2 numbers and wasn’t aware of this when I first set up accounts? This is an epic fail on blizzards part and there are better ways to prevent smurfing because the only thing this is really doing is preventing lots of kids/teens/adults from playing the game not to mention they’re missing out on more revenue because of it
Hilarious as I’ve owned OW since launch and logged a ton of play time yet because I didn’t play in 2021 I can’t even access it now. Blizzard is trash.
We already knew that blizzard managers where perverts, and sexists, now with this anti-poor or anti-poor countries requirement, we know that they are assholes. Next ? White supremacists ? Just Boycott every blizzard game.
well said
I think it’s a terrible idea because not everyone has a post paid plan most people don’t even know what that is. I wanted to try overwatch for my first time today but couldn’t because of this it’s not fair.
This is a complete scam!!
I bought my nephew OW2 Watchpoint, for his bday, so he could play with me, he doesnt have a phone cause hes 12.. and he cannot play cause hes only ever played on my xbox when he comes over and he cant play on his switch online cause a phone is required, so now im scammed out of $40 cause of this BS, ive already made a ticket with blizzard, but their replay was sorry a phone is required, cant help you, ticket closed.. so basically they dont give a shit about customers..
I’ve been playing ow sense 2019 without a blizzard account attached (because it wasn’t required), and I’m currently crying because I can no longer play. I didn’t even know my phone plan (not payed by me as I’m a minor) was prepaid until now. I hate that I can no longer Play a game that I’ve made so many good memories on. I hate that I’ve lost all my progress and money. Im just sad and angry with blizzard, for essentially locking out all poor people from a game they made free.
This is nuts, after much fighting to even try and battlenet on my pc as it wouldn’t do it through steam. (I’m on linux Mint) then I get hit in the face with ‘you have to give us your telephone number’ after setting it up in Bottles (a program that runs windows programs). I don’t give my telephone number out period, unless it is to who I want. I’ve enough issues with Spam calls and SMS’s. Then to find out even if I had been willing to risk it I could not. My cell is prepaid. Do they want people playing their games? I had only tried to install this, due a recomendation of one of my cousins. I hadn’t played a lot of games in a while, But now with this nonsense, I’m not even going to bother at all with it. I’ll stick to steam. There at least they are trying to make things easier for thier users, not harder!
I wanted to try to get into Overwatch with the release of Overwatch 2, just to get blindsided by this stupid ass “need a postpaid phone number” rule. I live in central New York where there’s little to no service so a number is pretty much pointless for me. Fuck you Blizzard
Been really bored lately, then finally something new catches my interest, get the watchpoint pack to support this new game id like to play, silly me for not having a debt inducing phone plan, i cant play this game because of my fucking phone plan?
So now im out $40 for stuff in a game i cant even play? What the serious fuck!
“AAA” gaming is such a joke, how is it best game ive played this year is shredders revenge? That game is fire! But billion dollar studios like blizzard pull this shit and im over it