Overwatch 2's Phone Requirement: 'It's Like Being Punished For Being Poor' - Kotaku

Along with 19 million other people, Richard and his brother both use Cricket Wireless, one of the prepaid phone services that Overwatch 2 will not accept for its newly instated, mandatory two-factor authentication system, SMS Protect.

At one point in 2020, there were 74 million prepaid phone plan users in the U.S.

Richard is far from being the only Overwatch player being phased out.

“Cannot believe Blizzard is denying people with prepaid phone plans access to Overwatch 2,” one Twitter user wrote.

prepaid phone plan users, and the company did not return Kotaku’s request for comment in time for publication.

Prepaid phone users in other countries have reported being able to log into the game problem-free, which some players speculate could either be because their country necessitates identification in order to purchase a prepaid phone, or because Blizzard has only banned known prepaid phone plans.

While Blizzard works it out, Richard and countless other low-income prepaid phone users are hurting