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[kyussman]

They can have my inside leg and nothing more.....I'm joking of course,I've no interest in playing this game.

 

[jaysius]

In the past if you've forgotten your password they've required a SCAN of your DRIVERS LICENCE, so if I can recover my account with my phone then I'll be happy instead of that bullshit.

Being personally invasive is Blizzards #1 priority.

The amount of account theft that's happening is ridiculous in 2022. They want to curb it, we're all fucked when the thieves learn how to dupe SMS 2 step though.

 

[Kataploom]

Guys, they said they have to put a dildo in your arse... They have to make sure some random filipinos new hacking method isn't gonna ruin everyone else's experience... Sorry guys this is for YOUR safety and privacy, pls understand

 

[nominedomine]

Dota2 has required your phone number for some time now, at least for ranked play. With these F2P games you need to have a way to prevent people from just creating new accounts at will.

 

[Lucifers Beard]

I don't think they will send you sms messages to sell you things but the current privacy policy seems to suggest they can use your phone number as a source of personally identifiable information and use that for marketing and surveys. Would the current privacy policy need to be changed in that case or would it be a checkbox that needs to be implemented?

I’ve not read the privacy policy in great detail, but if it is for cheat prevention purposes, they will need to explain that at the point they request the phone number. They can also stop you accessing the service if you decline to provide the phone number because it is in their legitimate interest to prevent cheating in their game.

Since marketing and surveys are not even close to the original purpose the information will be collected (cheat prevention being the original purpose) and because marketing via SMS requires consent under the E-Privacy directive, the only compliant way to send those communications will be using a checkbox (that cannot be preticked) to obtain the consent of the individual.

At this point in time, if you’re a user in the EU or UK, there is no need to be worried or paranoid about providing a phone number. I’m not sure what the laws are like elsewhere in the world so can’t comment there.

Also worth remembering that if Blizzard do fuck about and do things they shouldn’t, you should complain to your regulator about it. The UK regulator love to take action against organisations for marketing violations.

 

[Dynasty8]

As a new player, I am completely ok with this and actually wish more competitive games required it. Fuck online cheaters. It's getting bad out there.

Also, for unlocking the old heroes, I see no problem. OW1 vets will have everything already, but as a new player I don't want to feel overwhelmed with 30+ characters. If it's going to gradually unlock characters after every 3 matches for FREE, that's totally fine.

 

[Jennings]

They're acting like they can do stupid shit like this because desperate people actually want to play this game and I can't even think of any upcoming title I'm less excited for. I hope the game does well because ActivisionBlizzard are supposed to be such good people and like all heroes they deserve a solid success, but the Overwatch brand already seems so played out.

 

[Three]

I’ve not read the privacy policy in great detail, but if it is for cheat prevention purposes, they will need to explain that at the point they request the phone number. They can also stop you accessing the service if you decline to provide the phone number because it is in their legitimate interest to prevent cheating in their game.

Since marketing and surveys are not even close to the original purpose the information will be collected (cheat prevention being the original purpose) and because marketing via SMS requires consent under the E-Privacy directive, the only compliant way to send those communications will be using a checkbox (that cannot be preticked) to obtain the consent of the individual.

At this point in time, if you’re a user in the EU or UK, there is no need to be worried or paranoid about providing a phone number. I’m not sure what the laws are like elsewhere in the world so can’t comment there.

Also worth remembering that if Blizzard do fuck about and do things they shouldn’t, you should complain to your regulator about it. The UK regulator love to take action against organisations for marketing violations.

When you say marketing via SMS do you mean sending me viagra ads via SMS or do you mean legally they cannot use the phone number as a personal identifier for marketing material? Because I believe they can do the latter. They can use that information to link data from various sources and for example show me relevant ads on sites, in game, in apps, etc.

 

[Celcius]

I’ll just wait for them to walk this back after the backlash

 

[ManaByte]

I’ll just wait for them to walk this back after the backlash

Then they’ll require you to download the Blizzard Authenticator. One way or another you’re not making a Smurf account to cheat without 2FA.

 

[HTK]

I'm okay with the phone numbers to serve bans, prevent cheaters etc... Anything to stop those mofos.

 

[nikos]

Yay for phone verification, fuck the voice chat reporting, don't are about the hero unlocks because I own the original and preordered the OW2 bundle. Free players get free content, why should they get what other people paid for?

 

[Cyberpunkd]

I’ve not read the privacy policy in great detail, but if it is for cheat prevention purposes, they will need to explain that at the point they request the phone number. They can also stop you accessing the service if you decline to provide the phone number because it is in their legitimate interest to prevent cheating in their game.

They probably do explain that in that 20 pages T&C. Won’t matter shit.

1. European courts already ruled that agreeing to an illegal provisions in the EULA doesn’t make them valid.
2. EU citizens worldwide are subject to GDPR regulation so boy oh boy let’s see how this one will go.

 

[newtypepilot]

phone number ahhahahahahahaha

good luck with that.

next they are gonna ask for social security number for "security purposes"

 

[MiguelItUp]

A phone number is pretty standard for 2FA, so, I don't really see that as an issue. Voice chat transcriptions are pretty wack, but at the same time, people say some pretty messed up things. So, blame it on all the edgy idiots ruining it for everyone else.

 

[nightmare-slain]

But you still play on an Xbox or PlayStation? Both of them record your chats too.

nah i don't own either of those.

 

[The_hunter]

You can turn off the chat in the options if you don't want to engage with it. What is the point of this system? If they ask for my phone number I won't even play OW2.

 

[Smokken]

Gotta love all the people whining about giving up their phone number: "No way I'm giving them my number, bastards!!"
Meanwhile Facebook and Google know pretty much EVERYTHING about you at this point, along every other social media platform out there. Your precious phone number is the least of your worries.

 

[eastcoastkody]

all this and im guessing the horrible queue system that made me quit the original is still in the game, right?

 

[DeadOblivion78]

Gotta love all the people whining about giving up their phone number: "No way I'm giving them my number, bastards!!"
Meanwhile Facebook and Google know pretty much EVERYTHING about you at this point, along every other social media platform out there. Your precious phone number is the least of your worries.

If you’re on the internet, they’re already tracking you anyways.

 

[Lucifers Beard]

When you say marketing via SMS do you mean sending me viagra ads via SMS or do you mean legally they cannot use the phone number as a personal identifier for marketing material? Because I believe they can do the latter. They can use that information to link data from various sources and for example show me relevant ads on sites, in game, in apps, etc.

They cannot use your phone number to send you marketing materials about Blizzard or Activision products or services. They also cannot sell or disclose your phone number to third parties for marketing purposes. That requires consent.

The way this works is that when you boot up the game it will ask you for your phone number, at this point they will need to be explicit in telling you why your phone number is required. They can only use your phone number for that purpose going forward.

Now the purpose is 2FA and likely to help prevent cheaters getting access to the game again.

 

[Lucifers Beard]

They probably do explain that in that 20 pages T&C. Won’t matter shit.


2. EU citizens worldwide are subject to GDPR regulation so boy oh boy let’s see how this one will go.

1. T&Cs aren’t the same as consent, this is widely known if you work in that area.

2. The scope of the GDPR doesn’t cover EU Citizens worldwide. The territorial scope is services and goods offered to EU member states.

 

[Urban]

Phone number eh, makes sense against cheaters I guess but THIS????????????



The whole idea behind Overwatch was that you can always pick a hero to counter teams, that means with the influx of new players everyone will just stick with that shitty hero and wont be able to adapt. Like wtf is even the point of Overwatch if u cant play all the heroes? Jesus fuck.

Maybe good against smurfs?

 

[March Climber]

Reading the title, then reading the link info, then reading the OP post below, was the biggest triple whiplash moment I've had so far on this forum.

 

[ManaByte]

What is the point of this system?

To stop people from cheating with Smurf accounts since it's F2P.

 

[Cyberpunkd]

2. The scope of the GDPR doesn’t cover EU Citizens worldwide. The territorial scope is services and goods offered to EU member states.

You simply need to Google it:

GDPR Frequently Asked Questions

Compliance Junction answers GDPR Frequently Asked Questions. It provides information about the use of consent under GDPR. It also discusses Brexit, outsourcing and the right to be forgotten.

www.compliancejunction.com

GDPR protects the personal data and the rights of data subjects as long as they are EU citizens, no matter where they are living.

GDPR Article 3 explains that any company in the world that employs or does business with EU citizens must comply with GDPR regulations.

 

[Fake]

Developers introduce mechanisms that help mitigate cheaters.

Like auto aim? Forcing crossplay?

Get out of your bubble kid.

 

[Lucifers Beard]

You simply need to Google it:

http://[URL]https://www.compliancejunction.com/gdpr-frequently-asked-questions/

[/URL]

sorry but I’ll take my qualifications in this area and the actual legislation itself over some random page on Google, cheers.

 

[MasterCornholio]

Why not semen and a urine sample while they're at it?

I swear I'm just trying to play Overwatch.

 

[MarkMe2525]

Like auto aim? Forcing crossplay?

Get out of your bubble kid.

What bubble do you live in where this is considered cheating. In my bubble, if I play a game with auto aim or forced crossplay, I just deal with it, or you know, play a different game. Kid

 

[Fake]

What bubble do you live in where this is considered cheating.

Are you serious?

Try distingue an auto aim from a hack aim. This not only don't solve cheaters, so is like make them hard to notice/report.

Talking about bubble. I guess people just want to defend corporation without even making a valid argument.

 

[ManaByte]

Talking about bubble. I guess people just want to defend corporation without even making a valid argument.

Explain how you stop people from making throwaway Smurf accounts to cheat in a F2P shooter without requiring 2FA?

And no, you can't limit it via IP because 99.9999% of people playing video games are on a dynamic IP.

 

[MarkMe2525]

Are you serious?

Try distingue an auto aim from a hack aim. This not only don't solve cheaters, so is like make them hard to notice/report.

Talking about bubble. I guess people just want to defend corporation without even making a valid argument.

There is obviously a pretty big difference between aim hack and auto aim. One turns you into a killing machine, while the other nudges you in the right direction. It's obvious and I shouldn't have to be explaining this.

 

[newtypepilot]

I sure trust the AI to differentiate all the different languages and accents, through potato mic quality no less.

 

[Barakov]

And new Overwatch 2 accounts will have to unlock old heroes

'Overwatch 2' moderation tools include voice chat transcriptions and SMS verification

Overwatch 2's new mod system includes SMS verification, the removal of general chat from menus, and transcriptions for reported voice chat audio.

www.engadget.com

New Overwatch 2 accounts have to unlock old heroes, too

The old hero roster is free, but you'll have to unlock them if you never played the original Overwatch.

www.pcgamer.com

They keep digging the grave. At this point feels like they're trying to sabotage it.
I also don't even think it's legal to record voice chat, in Europe.

Let's be stated for the record that whoever gives his phone number away like this is an idiot who's bringing down us all.

Fuck this. I'm out.

No way in hell I'm giving my phone number to China.

 

[Reallink]

Brilliant, cause the try hards with multi-grand battlestations spending hundreds of dollars for cheats can't afford a $20 Burner phone. At least they won't have to be triggered by the violence of a 12yo calling them gay in voice chat.

 

[Frank Horrigan]

Not too fussed about handing over my phone number if it is to help prevent cheating and keeping people banned.

always easy to block things on phones these days so no biggy

I don't mind. The game is going F2P and this will combat smurfs and cheaters as that could have easily be exploited. No matter how good an anti cheat system is people will always find a way and this will lower those incidents

As for the heroes lock that's also something i don't mind. Last thing i want is a new player doing 0 kills on Widowmaker. Locking them into a more basic hero like Soldier should make them familiar with the game. This whole thing of requiring phone number has been know for over 6 months.

Couldn't care less, all the big companies already have my phone number.

I mean.. nothing new for a mp title. Good to have more barriers against new accounts.. but too easy to get a throwaway phone number nowadays.

Makes me wonder how many people use food delivery services now days that just gives away your phone number?

Good. That just scare off a bunch of cheaters and paranoid people.

Do you guys not have phones?

giving out a phone number to a company at ordering or on goverment forms as a contact is standard. so no idea what is so weird here, except it being new to gaming and gaming companies are baddies.

Voice chat is annoying and have yet to play a single public game where it wasn't just guys grunting, clearing their throats or minors squeeking overeager some unnecessary bs. But actually never stumbled over some racial, vulgar, misogynistic or whatever session. I play almost no MP though. But I understand trying to filter out people who misbehave and make online a pain for everyone else.

There are certainly restricting laws for data protection which make communication, exchange of any data even between govermental organisations impossible, or rather just not legal, but data retention in the wake of anti terror was exactly aimed at saving entire weeks of everyones internet travels and phone calls or something. Just got overturned on the 20th this month.

EuGH: Anlasslose Vorratsdatenspeicherung rechtswidrig

Die deutsche Vorratsdatenspeicherung ist mit EU-Recht nicht vereinbar. Ohne Anlass dürfen die Kommunikationsdaten nicht gespeichert werden. Aber es gibt Ausnahmen.

www.faz.net

I guess saving everything or storing it long term would be illegal but saving specific transcribed text logs as evidence, as a reason for a ban, sounds to me like something that should still be possible. Temporary saving a couple of minutes and transcribing certain parts and indivuals when reported and deleting the rest. Seems reasonable.

Or right.
The more barriers you make, the better. A phone number is the least invasive thing they can do. Players cry for anticheat measures all day without understanding that it means giving up portions of your "safety".

Installing a kernel anticheat is insanity to me. But a phone number? not really.

Who gives a shit. I never awnser mine unless I know the caller anyhow. I doubt Bobby is going to leave me voice-mail where he breathes heavy and sends me dick pics.

Making smurfing/cheating more of a hassle. Requiring SMS verification for F2P MP is pretty common. CSGO and Dota 2 has had it for like 5 years.

Over reacting for the sake of over reacting it looks like. Laws here in the UK and EU prevent companies using your personal data for additional purposes (outside the one specified at data collection) and can’t force you to consent to marketing (or anything) as a precondition of a service.

What do people honestly think they will use phone numbers for?

ITT: People who haven’t played MP Overwatch in years fail to grasp the problem of Smurf accounts in a game getting sequel where it is completely free to create a new Smurf account.

No problem. And only Diva and Genji matter anyway...

You need to put your phone number to turn 2FA on anyway.

Still good. Cheaters have to keep buying stuff, eventually that shit gets old. Wont be worth it, especially not on a game like Overwatch anyway. At least on PUBG/CSGO cheaters keep playing to earn crates and shit to sell, but OW2 has no benefits.

Y'all don't mind intrusive anti-cheats but a phone number for a SMS verification is too much? Give me a break, with how big gaming is getting this is a good development.
Guess you all finally have to behave yourselves a bit online from now on, or go play something else.

good. overwatch is plagued with smurf accounts.

no prepaid numbers? i get it but not everyone is on a contract number.

i pay £10/month for a bundle but it's still essentially a prepaid/payg number because if i drop that bundle then i'm payg. i could easily maybe multiple phone number accounts if i wanted. i mean...i do have a secondary number which is my work number. so if i were a cheater/smurf what's stopping me making a 3rd?

so there is no guarantee that my number will work even if i did want to give them it?

edit: wouldn't it be easier and more effective to record IP addresses and ban VPNs? it's much harder and more expensive to change your IP than a phone number.

Gamers: Developers need to come up with effective ways to mitigate cheaters!!! Cheaters ruin game!!

Developers introduce mechanisms that help mitigate cheaters.

Gamers: OOMMMMGGGGGGGGRRRHHHHH!!!!!

Not really bothered by this, basic 2FA shit. What's funny is this story reminded me Overwatch 2 is releasing soon. This game has no hype behind it.

Dota2 has required your phone number for some time now, at least for ranked play. With these F2P games you need to have a way to prevent people from just creating new accounts at will.

As a new player, I am completely ok with this and actually wish more competitive games required it. Fuck online cheaters. It's getting bad out there.

Also, for unlocking the old heroes, I see no problem. OW1 vets will have everything already, but as a new player I don't want to feel overwhelmed with 30+ characters. If it's going to gradually unlock characters after every 3 matches for FREE, that's totally fine.

The absolute shit state of gaming is thanks to posters and players like these.

It's ok for companies to take your info because they take it anyway? What kind of fucking logic is that? They have your data in the first place because YOU GAVE IT TO THEM. just stop handing shit over

I didn't need to give a phone number, 2fa, driving license, address, a rectal exam or bank details when I played CS:S. Do you know how they solved cheating? Private servers.

I cannot wait for the industry to crash and fucking burn

 

[nominedomine]

The absolute shit state of gaming is thanks to posters and players like these.

It's ok for companies to take your info because they take it anyway? What kind of fucking logic is that? They have your data in the first place because YOU GAVE IT TO THEM. just stop handing shit over

I didn't need to give a phone number, 2fa, driving license, address, a rectal exam or bank details when I played CS:S. Do you know how they solved cheating? Private servers.

I cannot wait for the industry to crash and fucking burn

Have you ever played a F2P game where people can't get punished because they keep creating accounts? I hate F2P games, that's why I barely play any but Dota2 at least would be much worse if it was even easier to create new accounts.

People will just cheat and grief way more without something like this.

 

[Uiki]

The absolute shit state of gaming is thanks to posters and players like these.

It's ok for companies to take your info because they take it anyway? What kind of fucking logic is that? They have your data in the first place because YOU GAVE IT TO THEM. just stop handing shit over

I didn't need to give a phone number, 2fa, driving license, address, a rectal exam or bank details when I played CS:S. Do you know how they solved cheating? Private servers.

I cannot wait for the industry to crash and fucking burn

Then go play css. What's the problem here?

If you think "private servers" are the solution to anything in 2022... I don't know what to tell you. I started playing cs 1.4 (or 5, can't remember) and the whole scene is clearly changed for the better. And no one got a rectal exam from valve.

 

[The Cockatrice]

The absolute shit state of gaming is thanks to posters and players like these.

It's ok for companies to take your info because they take it anyway? What kind of fucking logic is that? They have your data in the first place because YOU GAVE IT TO THEM. just stop handing shit over

I didn't need to give a phone number, 2fa, driving license, address, a rectal exam or bank details when I played CS:S. Do you know how they solved cheating? Private servers.

I cannot wait for the industry to crash and fucking burn

You do realize corporations already have your information right? Hell even browsing gaf your sending data through cookies and shit. wtf are they going to do with my phone? SPOILER fucking nothing rofl. gtfo your cave bitch.

 

[DeceptiveAlarm]

You do realize corporations already have your information right? Hell even browsing gaf your sending data through cookies and shit. wtf are they going to do with my phone? SPOILER fucking nothing rofl. gtfo your cave bitch.

People are such whiny babies. Like Blizzard is going to call me at night to ask why I haven't played. Boo fucking who. I've had a bunch of phone numbers in my life. It's not some secret fucking code.

 

[BennyBlanco]

The absolute shit state of gaming is thanks to posters and players like these.

It's ok for companies to take your info because they take it anyway? What kind of fucking logic is that? They have your data in the first place because YOU GAVE IT TO THEM. just stop handing shit over

I didn't need to give a phone number, 2fa, driving license, address, a rectal exam or bank details when I played CS:S. Do you know how they solved cheating? Private servers.

I cannot wait for the industry to crash and fucking burn

You make it sound like they’re asking for our social security numbers. I have 2fa activated on all my stuff. Do you own a smartphone? Because you basically forfeit all your privacy when you use one.

Don’t cry when some kid hacks your PSN account and buys a bunch of fortnite bucks, boomer.

 

[JLB]

LOL. Now standard 2FA verification is cause of drama. These ppl.

 

[bender]

Shutting down access to Overwatch 1 should have been the straw to break everyone's back, not 2FA.

 

[Demigod Mac]

Can anyone provide an example of
a moderately popular multiplayer game that...

- is Free2Play
- has a competitive ranked mode
- doesn't require a phone number for 2-factor auth
- doesn't use invasive anti-cheat tech
- is NOT overrun with cheaters, bots and smurf accounts
- is difficult for cheaters and abusive players to circumvent account bans

REALLY curious if there's been a better solution than this.

 

[wvnative]

wait you need to provide a phone number just to play?

 

[Celcius]

So next week when Overwatch 2 launches I won't be able to play OW1 (which I paid for) anymore AND they want my phone number before I can play OW2?

 

[phil_t98]

The absolute shit state of gaming is thanks to posters and players like these.

It's ok for companies to take your info because they take it anyway? What kind of fucking logic is that? They have your data in the first place because YOU GAVE IT TO THEM. just stop handing shit over

I didn't need to give a phone number, 2fa, driving license, address, a rectal exam or bank details when I played CS:S. Do you know how they solved cheating? Private servers.

I cannot wait for the industry to crash and fucking burn

So the industry you’re taking time to support by buying and playing games? Buying the hardware ? If you want it to crash and burn stop playing games stop buying games and you may get your wish

 

[Dynasty8]

The absolute shit state of gaming is thanks to posters and players like these.

It's ok for companies to take your info because they take it anyway? What kind of fucking logic is that? They have your data in the first place because YOU GAVE IT TO THEM. just stop handing shit over

I didn't need to give a phone number, 2fa, driving license, address, a rectal exam or bank details when I played CS:S. Do you know how they solved cheating? Private servers.

I cannot wait for the industry to crash and fucking burn

You're oblivious to the main issue.

Most of us don't give two shits about a gaming company getting our phone numbers....oh the fucking horror...how will I live?

The fact that you quoted almost every post in this thread and "can't wait till the industry burns and crashes" tells me you're the biggest Karen ever. Just bitching and overreacting about every little thing.

 

[rodrigolfp]

The absolute shit state of gaming is thanks to posters and players like these.

It's ok for companies to take your info because they take it anyway? What kind of fucking logic is that? They have your data in the first place because YOU GAVE IT TO THEM. just stop handing shit over

I didn't need to give a phone number, 2fa, driving license, address, a rectal exam or bank details when I played CS:S. Do you know how they solved cheating? Private servers.

I cannot wait for the industry to crash and fucking burn

I have nothing to hide. And maybe some hot blizzard employee will call me.