Blizzard announced that pre-paid phones will now work for Overwatch 2’s phone requirement, also known as SMS Protect.
Blizzard created SMS Protect to fend off cheaters, specifically the bad actors who use multiple accounts tied to the same phone number. For players onboarding, the SMS Protect requirement meant that they needed to have a phone number tied to their account–but this number could not be from a pre-paid phone plan.
The exclusion of pre-paid phone plans was controversial among players, and many saw it as an exclusionary policy. In response to the concerns, Blizzard decided to drop the phone registration requirements for many accounts. Overwatch players who had a Battlenet account and played since June 9, 2021 no longer needed a phone number in order to play.
Starting today, SMS Protect will now accept pre-paid phones globally. This update will finish rolling out by tomorrow.
With even more players joining #Overwatch2, we remain committed in our work toward protecting your gameplay experience https://t.co/ihaF7N0Yci— Overwatch (@PlayOverwatch) November 17, 2022
And now those with new accounts who do need to meet the SMS Protect requirements will be able to use pre-paid phone plans.
Overwatch 2’s launch has been rocky–from queues to temporary hero removal fixes. Mei had been temporarily plucked from the game due to a bug in her Ice Wall ability, but she is now officially back as of November 17’s patch. The patch also included a few balance changes: D.Va, Zarya, Genji, Junkrat, Sombra, and Kiriko all received nerfs.
Overwatch 2’s Season 2 begins December 6, and new Tank hero Ramattra will join the roster. He’s an omnic who was once a close friend of Zenyatta.
