Got banned for no reason

Bug Report
1

24/1/2024, my account was unexpectedly banned while playing Overwatch. At that time, the only background software running was OBS, a well-known live streaming and recording software downloaded from the reputable Steam platform, and an aim training game called Kovaak. However, I received an email accusing me of hacking, leading to the ban. According to Blizzard’s game policies (Blizzard Support - Blizzard's In-Game Code of Conduct), third-party programs are mentioned as tools used to disrupt game balance. However, the software running in my background includes a globally renowned live streaming software and a game. How could I use these to disrupt the balance of Overwatch?

I even provided some replay codes (7TR7CP, GZHXTH, Q15J6C, D5Y35A, B74T8C) to Blizzard’s customer service, hoping that professionals could evaluate whether I was hacking. Unfortunately, I suspect that my emails to Activision Blizzard were not handled by a human, as I received responses only from automated bots. Throughout this process, Blizzard’s customer service did not address the core issue in their responses.

I have previously complained to Blizzard, where their customer service claimed I was using unauthorized third-party software and refused to unban my account. When I disputed this claim and asked for clarification on what third-party program I supposedly used, Blizzard’s responses were inconsistent, stating different reasons for the ban. This continuous change in statements is confusing, and I feel Blizzard is neglecting my rights and not taking this matter seriously.

I want to emphasize that I did not use offensive language in the game, I did not cheat, and I did not engage in any activities to disrupt others’ gaming experiences. Despite spending at least $300 in the game, Blizzard doesn’t seem to consider my account as an important matter. Most of my in-game purchases were made through Steam

While playing games, I noticed a significant frame rate drop, hitting as low as 2 frames. Upon investigation, I found an issue with my RAM. Additionally, Overwatch is automatically using integrated graphics, and I’m unsure if it’s related to the detection of third-party programs. After updating the AMD driver, I resolved this issue. My computer configuration includes a CPU 7600x, GPU RX 6800, and 32GB DDR5 RAM. Occasionally, I encounter game errors that result in me being kicked out of the game. If my account is banned due to me exiting the game, I suspect it might be a driver issue.

I want to have this account unbanned not just because I spent a lot of money on it, but because I don’t want to lose contact with my friends. I’ve met various people in this game, and most of our connections exist solely within this account. Therefore, I genuinely don’t want this account to be banned. If anyone can see this, please help me think of a solution to unban this account.

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#noreason

Let’s goooo! Someone should go watch camomo.

3

haha if you aint a popular Content creator or pro they don’t care…dudes get unbanned within 24hs but us plebs gets AI generated replies :stuck_out_tongue:

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Some of my friends’ main accounts were banned for no apparent reason as well. When contacting customer service and submitting tickets, they either receive AI generated replies (or copy and pasted, even some links in those replies are not working.) or are told that they have used third-party programs.

It seems the banning system in Overwatch is quite unreliable right now, and even after being falsely banned, they refuse to review the ban or provide a valid reason for it.
Some people even had to sue Blizzard to get them to re-examine their accounts, which upon review were found to be mistakenly banned and subsequently unbanned.

In my friend’s case, where Blizzard claimed he used a third-party program and then unbanned him after he sued Blizzard to review his case, it’s evident that the initial accusation of cheating was untrue. Such irresponsible messaging has already caused psychological trauma to my friend, leading others to believe the ticket’s response implied guilt until the unbanning. Similarly, OWL player Proper was perm-banned a few days ago, but since he’s an OWL pro, I believe Blizzard will review his case, and hopefully, Proper will soon get his account back.

I think perm bans are acceptable, but should be issued with a legitimate and truthful reason, and only considered for severe violations. Otherwise, muting chat, suspending, or short-term bans are viable actions instead of perm banning accounts where players have put much effort and money.

At least, my friends who lost their accounts, have also lost many years of memories with friends, hard-earned ranks, and all the skins, which is truly regrettable.

I understand that team resources are limited and dealing with the massive volume of daily reports is very challenging, but I think permanent bans should be more cautious. The false bans has led many to hesitate before investing more money into their accounts for skins and battle passes.

If this irresponsible handling of players accounts continues, its really unhealthy for the long term run of Overwatch imo. I sincerely hope Overwatch can run as many years as possible, hope Blizz will address this issue asap…

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You are not alone in experiencing this bug. I’ve linked the competitive bugs megathread at the bottom of this post, which archives and documents almost every competitive bug. I’ve compiled a list of similar posts regarding similar bugs under: False Suspension And Ban. Please help in spreading the word about this megathread and other related threads regarding these issues.