Do you want to play Overwatch 2? Then you definitely need a mobile phone or smartphone. Otherwise, you won’t be able to play at all.
The next big game from Blizzard will be the reboot of the hero shooter Overwatch – so Overwatch 2. Soon the next big beta test will start and you can sign up for it or buy directly by purchasing the pre-order package. However, Overwatch 2 also has a small change that is not immediately obvious: Anyone who wants to play the game must provide a mobile phone number to Blizzard.
Where does the info come from? This is freely accessible to all players when they want to buy the “Watchpoint Pack” in the Battle.net shop. It says in the fine print:
To play, an internet connection, Battle.net Desktop App, and Battle.net account are required. To play Overwatch 2, you need a mobile phone number linked to your Battle.net account.
Therefore, you must definitely provide a mobile number in your Battle.net settings if you want to play Overwatch 2.
Why is Blizzard doing this? Although there has been no official statement from Blizzard on this yet, the step seems understandable. Overwatch 2 will be a free-to-play game and therefore potentially accessible to all players. However, this generally also encourages players to behave like an axe in the forest, so the Battle.net account must be linked to a mobile number beforehand.
So far, each mobile number can only be linked to a single account. This should at least somewhat limit the number of trolls and toxic players in Overwatch 2.
In recent months, Blizzard has repeatedly emphasized that they want to ensure a friendlier and safer environment in the games, aiming to exclude toxic players as quickly as possible. The requirement for a mobile number for some games seems to be another step toward wanting to curb toxic behavior. Because if each account needs its own number, that should encourage some players to behave a bit friendlier. Creating “throwaway accounts” will thus become more difficult.
What do you think of this additional requirement? A good thing that will lead to more friendliness in the game? Or a major hurdle that will hinder you from playing?
