Overwatch 2 phone verification removed by Blizzard

pcgamesn.com:

Blizzard has announced that it is removing the Overwatch 2 phone verification requirement to play the free game for all previously existing players. The prerequisite to have enabled its SMS Protect to play the game has caused additional issues for players as they try to play the sequel to one of the best multiplayer games on PC. Blizzard has also addressed other launch issues including queue times and server errors, saying it wants “to provide transparency” moving forward.

In a post on its forums, Blizzard explains that it has “made the decision to remove phone number requirements for a majority of existing Overwatch players.” This will apply to all players with a connected Battlenet account, which includes all players who have played the first Overwatch since June 9, 2021. However, accounts that were not previously connected to Battlenet and new accounts will still have to meet SMS Protect requirements, which Blizzard says “helps to ensure we’re protecting our community against cheating.”

The removal of SMS Protect for existing accounts is expected to go live on October 7, and Blizzard says it will update players once the new system is in place. It adds that the team “will keep listening to ongoing feedback and will make further adjustments in this area if it is required.” In addition, Blizzard notes that players “caught engaging in disruptive behaviour” may be banned regardless of whether they are on a new account or a pre-existing one.

In addition, Blizzard says it is continuing to gradually add nodes to its player database in order to improve stability issues. However, it explains that this must be done slowly to minimise server disruptions, and as such it is also currently throttling queues to help minimise the