Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Doesn't Require Phone Number On Consoles

gamespot.com:

Activision has clarified the SMS requirement for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, confirming that a phone number is required for PC players but not on console. This confirmation comes not long after another Activision Blizzard game, Overwatch 2, made headlines for its own controversial SMS policy.

In a blog post, Activision said a «text-enabled mobile phone number» is required for Modern Warfare 2 on PC. This is the same requirement that has been in place for Warzone players on PC since May 2020. Anyone who previously played Warzone on PC won't have to do anything else to get started with Modern Warfare II and Warzone 2.0.

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Additionally, people on Steam must link a phone number to play Modern Warfare II, so this requirement is not limited to Battle.net alone.

The SMS verification requirement is in place to help with anti-cheat efforts, and Activision added the requirement for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019) PC players in August 2022. «The SMS requirement for game access is used for security purposes only. Call of Duty does not use SMS verification data for marketing purposes,» Activision said.

For Overwatch 2, Blizzard originally said a phone number would be required across PC and console to help thwart cheaters. There was a backlash to the announcement, and Blizzard later rolled back the requirement in most cases.

Activision also provided an update on the efforts it's taking to fight cheating in Modern Warfare II and Warzone 2.0.