Why is it necessary to have a post-paid phone number to play Overwatch 2? Explained

The highly anticipated sequel to the popular hero shooter, Overwatch 2, has finally been released, and players are already in the tens of thousands which continues to increase as they play the game.

The game is open to both returning and new players, and its mechanics and goals have been reevaluated to ensure that it continues to provide a welcoming and enjoyable gaming experience for all players.

You’ll need to link a phone number to your Battle.net account in order to play the game because that’s one of the features you’ll need to use. Fans are curious as to why Blizzard, in particular, and Overwatch 2 are anticipating this, and why the phones must be post-paid.

Why Is It Necessary to Have a Prepaid Phone Number in Order to Play Overwatch 2?

As part of the SMS Protect programme, Overwatch 2 requires users to have a postpaid phone number rather than a prepaid one in order for them to be able to utilise their Battle.net accounts.

This avoids so-called “smurf accounts” and limits the proliferation of many accounts held by a single user, both of which might lead to disruptive conduct.

This implies that it can prevent matchmaking from becoming uneven owing to high-level players utilising several accounts to enter matches lower down the ladder, and it discourages aggressive behaviour that occurs during online interactions. Its purpose is to safeguard the players, but it is possible that some people will view it as being overly restrictive.

Post-paid Vs. Pre-paid Mobile Numbers

By definition, a postpaid phone number is a mobile phone that runs on a plan from a carrier. With this type of phone, you pay for services such as calling, texting, and data after you use them on a month-to-month basis. This is often a configuration that offers a great deal more flexibility than that of pre-paid phones.

Pre-paid phones are phones that are typically acquired not with the intention of going on a dedicated plan, but rather for the simple purpose of serving more restricted functions. These reasons include the usage of a specific number of call minutes, quantities of text messages, and amounts of mobile data, and the budget for these activities is often more limited.

SMS Protect from Blizzard recognises pre-paid phones and prevents them from being an option in the game. This is most likely done to prevent players from having an inexpensive method of creating numerous accounts. Smurf accounts, in particular, are likely to experience the greatest amount of difficulty as a result of this protection.

Because of this, users are unable to create secondary identities and utilise them for dishonest ranked play, aggressive conduct on the internet, or even to sell them to other players. Your Battle.net will also be protected from hacking and other malicious behaviour thanks to this change.

It might make things challenging for certain players who are interested in returning to the game because some people actually do not have mobile phones. Furthermore, even if you purchased the first game, you will still need to overcome this barrier in order to play Overwatch 2.

Overwatch 2 is currently available for purchase on a variety of platforms, including PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch.