So I have a SIM card through Cricket on a pixel. Everything works, it is an unlimited call/text plan, etc. But when I try to add my number it prompts me to “add a post-paid number”
WHAT THE HECK?? Do I just not get to play the game anymore? I was so hyped to try out the new stuff and see if it was good! Are my years of Overwatch over cause Blizzard won’t believe my phone number is real??
Cricket is a prepaid wireless carrier, so its phone numbers do not meet Blizzard’s 2FA system requirements.
Welp, my overwatch days are over for now I guess.
Thanks for the reply 
No they aren’t, we have a monthly plan just like everyone else, have had it for years. Its literally just a substitute of AT&T.
Doesn’t matter if you pay monthly.
I also have a monthly fixed fee with Cricket. But they’re considered prepaid plans.
Just found this out myself. But it is the case.
If your mobile service provider is cricket, you’re not allowed to play Overwatch 2.
And going forward - probably any new Blizzard game, such as D4.
It is absurd.
to me this entire phone number situation is completely insane. i’ve had this phone number for years, i pay for it like a normal post-paid plan, and i use it just fine for every single other account i have (google, steam, microsoft, etc).
why is it that blizzard is the only company that hates cricket phones? and why is it that other pre-paid carriers seem to be completely fine with the system, but cricket isn’t? and why is it that there still exist several phone number purchase/swap services (not naming them since they’re definitely not allowed) that allow smurfs to bypass the phone number restriction easily?
Unfortunately, a monthly payment doesn’t change the classification of a carrier. More details in Johnay’s post above.
It shouldn’t matter if it’s prepaid or not, I’ve had this number for decades.
I have Cricket as well. I was so looking forward to Overwatch 2. I’ve played Overwatch through it’s highs and through it’s very lows, but I guess that doesn’t matter now. I can’t believe the thing that stopped me playing Overwatch after 5 years was having the wrong type of phone number. Yes, it is absolutely absurd.
Someone linked me to an interview where the reasoning was discussed:
Again, zero excuses, there is already a large portion of established players who have accounts years old, active hours on OW, who are completely gatekeeped from playing OW2. Simply for their carrier.
Yeah that’s great and all but it’s a bad idea and they will reverse course. What kind of company cuts off its player base because it doesn’t have the “right” kind of carrier…
If I’m a shareholder, this has me pissed as it effects the #'s and leaves potential revenue on the sideline, while making your player base mad and having long term effects.
Blizz really messed up here, I guess in the end having SMS is fine even though its lazy and taking the easy way out(instead of having better tech/systems) but to have it also tied to what carrier I have is NEXT LEVEL STUPID.
I can see it tomorrow, going to be a bloodbath on Twitter/Tube/Reddit/etc because there are most likely a lot of people/players that don’t know about this or think that their carrier will work and when they find out it doesn’t all its going to do is tarnish the launch and make them mad, my kids Bday is this week and he LOVES OW and is so excited to play but I don’t have the heart to tell him he won’t be able to…
Why the game should’ve just launched as a free update and then charged $40 for the PVE content and re-done in-game shop.
I don’t make the news, I’m just reporting it. 
Yeah, sorry you were put in this spot. Make sure to chug plenty of coffee before forum-surfing tomorrow! At the end of the day, it is just a job, try not to let it get to you!
Another DOA game. A lot of non US people use prepaid phone services too. wouldn’t surprise me if half the current worldwide playerbase literally cannot play O2 anymore.
the real tragedy is ActivisionBlizzard will still probably make enough money from Whales to not give a F. Always clear from AAA studios that if you’re not sinking hundreds to thousands in there microtrans games they really don’t care about you.
I volunteer tech support mostly, it’s not a job. Every once in a while, I visit General Discussion.
Oh buddy. $20 skins and they won’t even pay the green letter guys…
Unionize for forum wages! $.01 per post, for everyone!
There are other perks that accompany the MVP program, it’s still worth my time.
I do not understand why we should be penalized.
Blizzard actively gatekeeping a chunk of their playerbase.