In this article, we are going to be covering how to play Overwatch 2 without a phone number, so you can access the new game without any more delays.
The debut of Overwatch 2 has been marred by a variety of glitches that have left fans angry. One of the most serious issues is Blizzard’s need that you connect a postpaid phone number to the Battle.net software in order to play the game. Here’s how to play Overwatch 2 if you don’t have a phone number. Before playing Overwatch 2, Blizzard added a new “SMS Protect” mechanism that requires gamers to add and authenticate themselves with a postpaid number on the Battle.net client. However, this criterion is being removed for “some” players.
There was a tremendous backlash against the regulation, as many gamers were plainly irritated by the requirement to have a postpaid phone number. This, combined with faults such as the LC-208 error and another game version error, has left gamers scratching their heads.
How to play Overwatch 2 without a phone number?
Blizzard has apologized to gamers for a difficult launch while also revealing a significant policy adjustment for returning players. It said that “a majority of existing Overwatch players” will not be required to have a phone number associated with their Battle.net account in order to play Overwatch 2. On Blizzard’s official forum, the Overwatch team stated:
“We have made the decision to remove phone number requirements for a majority of existing Overwatch players,”
“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 said that players who have played Overwatch 1 at least once since crossplay was launched on June 9, 2021, until the game’s closure on October 2nd, would be allowed to play Overwatch 2 without needing to link a phone number to their Battle.net account.
If you played Overwatch between June 9, 2021, and October 2, 2022, you can play Overwatch 2 without a postpaid or prepaid phone number starting Friday, October 7, 2022. For most returning players, Blizzard is removing the necessity to attach their phone numbers. However, if you’ve never played Overwatch before and are beginning from scratch, your path will be a little more challenging.
To add a phone number to your Battle.net account, go here. Remember that you cannot add a prepaid or VoIP number. You will be unable to play Overwatch 2 if you do not comply. In order to unlock all game types and heroes, new players must play at least 100 matches.
Why is a postpaid phone number required to play Overwatch 2?
Blizzard previously revealed why a postpaid phone number is required to play Overwatch 2. It launched the “Defense Matrix Initiative” to prevent criminal players from using cheats and creating extra accounts known as “smurfs.” Cheaters could only buy Overwatch before Overwatch 2 if their accounts were banned. Now that the game is free to play, cheaters would have an easier time creating smurf accounts if having a postpaid phone number wasn’t a necessity.
Blizzard refers to it as the “SMS Protect Scheme,” and gamers must enter their postpaid phone number into the Battle.net client before they can play Overwatch 2. It has also launched the “First Time User Experience,” which will allow new players to gradually access modes and heroes following onboarding. Players are pleading with Blizzard to remove these restrictions, as many of them are unable to play Overwatch 2. Because not everyone has a postpaid phone number, the necessity to play Overwatch 2 has become a major issue for gamers.
Returning gamers should breathe a sigh of relief because they no longer require a phone number to play Overwatch 2. However, young players and players returning after a lengthy absence are still suffering.
We hope that you enjoyed this article on how to play Overwatch 2 without a phone number. If you did, we are sure that you will also enjoy reading some of our other articles, such as how to change scope sensitivity Overwatch 2, or D.Va Overwatch 2 changes: Nerfs and buffs.