Overwatch 2 demands players use a contract phone plan.
Overwatch 2 demands players use a contract phone plan.
It identifies whether a phone number is linked to a post-paid or pre-paid account through specific verification processes. If someone switches from pre-paid to post-paid while retaining their number, the system may still recognize it as active. This issue arises because regulations differ across regions, making it a challenge in places like the U.S., where policies are evolving. Recent updates suggest Blizzard is relaxing these rules for certain games, and similar changes appear in other titles like Modern Warfare 2.
Tmobile doesn't handle contracts, so maybe I'll never get a chance.
I have worked for one of the US telecoms, so my background is focused on a period before LNP was introduced.
With LNP any contact number could serve as a landline, mobile, VoIP or similar, with variations like "onenumber" where a single real number connects to several lines. All it takes is a text message, and if there’s no confirmation, it suggests the service doesn’t support texting. Two-factor authentication for voice calls exists, but it’s far more expensive than sending a text.
This situation applies to companies like Blizzard, which likely need to connect to carriers via a gateway to deliver messages. Check your phone—companies that send 2FA tokens usually provide numbers that aren’t the same as your regular line, and they’re not always the same carrier number. If they request your phone number or carrier details, it means they’re routing through an email-to-SMS gateway rather than a direct link.
In the US context, many assume American phone numbers and credit cards with American addresses are standard. But this isn’t always true—someone could have an American SIM without an American address. When you provide your number and carrier info, it’s often for sending emails via SMS, which appears to recipients as well.
For American users, things get trickier. Payment methods like credit cards carry assumptions about U.S. numbers and addresses. You don’t need a credit check for prepaid SIMs or data-only ones. Ask how I know.
Postpaid services require credit verification. eSIMs add another layer of complexity, and I hope regulations will support unlockable hardware for “simless” devices. Given how easily carriers can disable SIM cards, the sim-swap risk is real.
Honestly, 2FA via mobile isn’t a solid identity method—it pushes people toward SMS-based codes. You could use a BLE or NFC wallet that generates codes, or even an external device with a BLE/NFC sensor on your monitor. This would be logical if it became standard.
But there’s a catch: Americans often avoid ID cards and numbers, which complicates things. Other countries treat taxpayer IDs as official IDs, yet banks and companies can access them for taxes. Why does your carrier keep that number? It’s likely tied to credit checks.
The alternative—physical authenticators—could work better. They could be number generators or QR code readers, letting users authenticate without relying solely on phones. This might reduce reliance on mobile numbers.
Still, the challenge of keeping cheating at bay remains. Emulators for Android can help, but they’re only a temporary fix. If someone uses their family’s phone numbers, it becomes easier to bypass.
Ultimately, the goal should be a system that doesn’t depend on a single device or number, and where authentication is truly independent of mobile access.
They seem to be excluding prepaid and VoIP options, as it would make it simple for individuals to have several phone numbers and undermine the system's goal. Their intention appears to restrict users to a single account per person, which would prevent people from using multiple accounts with different numbers. Of course, traditional cell plans could still provide multiple numbers, but that would require significantly more effort and likely deter most users.
Yep, and honestly, I'm here for it. Hope it's true that it's coming to Warzone 2.
I got it. I missed including the /s in my comment. It was just a joke.
It really needs this warzone more than Overwatch does. Cheating in Warzone is way more frequent than in Overwatch. Honestly, as someone who’s spent lots of time playing Overwatch, I can say I’ve seen clear signs of cheating often. In Warzone, I’ve only played a few times and have faced some cheaters.