Devs will probably end up needing to limit the SMS verification to Competitive Only. At least initially.
Since otherwise they are probably going to lose anywhere been 5-20% of their existing active players on October 4th.
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player count will be high regardless since most ppl have modern SMS capable phones (those that dont will prob use some1 else’s number) and the game will be free . i doubt blizz will change anything.
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I mean that’s not an “upside” that’s just hoping
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I could see them keeping it for Comp-Only to start. Iron out a few of the flaws, then push it for everything.
that would honestly be great but i highly doubt it’ll happen.
Well the fun part about it is that it’s a big enough financial problem that the executives above Aaron Keller could pay attention to it.
Since that’s basically at least 10% of people who bought the watchpoint pack, or would have bought the battle pass. Asking for a refund.
That’s a lot of dollars.
And I’m pretty sure Aaron Keller wouldn’t want to explain why they just had to give $200,000 in refunds, for an avoidable mistake.
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It doesn’t even need to be comp-only if they do separate queues for SMS and non-SMS accounts for all modes.
5-20% of the lowest player base against millions of new players. I wonder what they will decide.
Blizzard should start selling the original physical authenticators again 
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Sucks for those few that cant help their situation
I will be sure to have enough fun for all of us to share
sorry for the ignorance (I use a cell with sim): but what’s the difference with a prepaid phone number?
Usually they are considered cheap disposable phones. Where they have a preset amount of minutes/data/text, and otherwise don’t cost a monthly amount if you don’t use them.
A lot of times these get called “burner phones”.
The real issue is the Que times. I have my Cellular Certified. I just want ppl Online w/ me. I can deal w/ “Cheaters” and I can deal w/ “Smurfs” but what I cannot deal w/ is 30min Que times.
Let the in-game Cheat Detection System do it’s Job. Don’t penalize everyone over Phone #s which are totally unrelated to gaming to begin w/ outside of using CC or Debit possibly.
Doesn’t make sense whatsoever to me. Such has placed a dark cloud over my perception of OW2 future and I don’t like. I could always tell everyone quitting over Battlepass Monetization or 5v5 that NEW players are alrdy otw. Now I cannot so flippantly dismiss those ppl which is extremely annoying tbh.
Lol, unverified players can only play Support
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Appreciate the humor. I was never worried about OW2. Now I am which I hope passes sooner than later cuz I ain’t played in over a year and got extremely excited to be Online again in OW2. I seriously hope Blizzard ain’t shooting themselves in the foot w/ this.
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Personally, I just don’t get the decision because of the potential gatekeeping it does bring to the game. Especially when the intentional market is teens to adults.
Most of all, the new player experience for brand new accounts actually seems thorough and time consuming enough that it properly engaged new players AND discourages multiple accounts.
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I don’t understand why it isn’t competitive only lol.
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Source? Not for the phone issue, for these numbers. You just made these up.
It’s not always a disposable phone, as I pay $30 a month for my phone plan through Metro by T-Mobile, and they consider this to be a pre-paid line despite the fact that I pay my phone bill every month. Unless there is an error with me entering my phone number into Blizzard, then they consider most non-contractual phones to be pre-paid.
It’s easy to assume that everyone who is pre-paid simply just has a phone that has a set amount of minutes, but I actually pay for a legit phone bill, with SMS, each month and avoid being bound to a contract through T-Mobile. I don’t use my phone enough to consider upgrading to a contract, as that’s just wasteful
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I’d say it’s a broad enough estimate. The company I work for has a similar-ish scenario.
Not exactly phones, but involving something most people have and don’t think of how it gatekeeps people who don’t.
For that example, it affects only about 5% of the overall user base of the product. 5-20% seems like a good wiggleroom area. Realistically, probably lower, but potentially somewhat significant at best.