Overwatch 2 has rocky launch amid technical points

Overwatch 2 launched on October 4 with excessive expectations from followers and buyers alike. Nonetheless, even developer Blizzard Leisure acknowledged in a weblog put up that the sequel to the 2016 breakout hit has had a tough launch.

Three principal points have troubled Overwatch 2’s launch on a technical degree: a brand new safety function dubbed SMS Shield, unstable servers and two main Directed Denial of Service (DDoS) assaults. Every of those points and extra bugs have prevented many gamers from enjoying the sport in any respect.

SMS Shield was a safety function included in Blizzard’s anti-toxicity initiative: Protection Matrix. The function initially required Overwatch 2 gamers to attach their account to a mobile phone quantity. However not any mobile phone quantity would do. Pay as you go cell telephones and Voice over Web Protocol (VoIP) plans have been blocked in an effort to stop disruptive gamers from having an inexpensive solution to circumvent their bans.

Nonetheless, this meant that followers who didn’t use a contract cellphone plan could be prevented from accessing the sport altogether. This upset followers of the unique title who have been affected by SMS Shield as a result of Blizzard had additionally shut down entry to the unique Overwatch forward of the sequel’s launch.

If gamers are capable of make an account, they’re additionally experiencing lengthy queue instances with inconsistent queue numbers. There are additionally frequent studies of gamers disconnecting mid-match because of server instability. These points are making it tough to expertise the sport as intented.

This was additional sophisticated when the sport was hit with two back-to-back DDoS assaults hours after Overwatch 2 launched.

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Blizzard’s builders are clearly working to resolve these points. For instance, the SMS Shield requirement was dropped for current Overwatch accounts which might be linked to a Battle.web account. This is applicable to all accounts created earlier than June 9, 2021. Nonetheless, new accounts will nonetheless have to be linked to a contract cellphone quantity.

With Activision Blizzard’s merger with Microsoft looming within the background, Blizzard’s dealing with of Overwatch 2 might have long-term implications for the franchise and the Overwatch League. Blizzard is banking on this relaunch to herald new followers. However these technical points could have turned off in any other case gamers. Whereas it’s not unprecedented for a sport to bounce again and turn out to be profitable after a rocky launch, Overwatch 2 solely will get one likelihood to make a primary impression on potential gamers.

Whereas Activision Blizzard’s inventory value has remained comparatively secure through the launch, followers’ confidence will stay shaken till the sport is in a greater state and their different issues are tackle.