Almighty ones of Blizzard, I have come to your temple seeking knowledge on dire news I’ve read on wowhead, regarding the discontinuation of manufacturing physical authenticators. I, myself own one, and can’t afford a smartphone. Do you not care about what happens to the accounts of others, like myself who can’t afford smartphones? I’ve tried the mobile authenticator via an android emulator like bluestacks, authentication on the Blizzard app, or Blizzard websites was no problem, but authenticating in WoW where you have to quickly enter the code by hand before it changes posed a problem because before entering the code, I had to adjust the size of the game window so i could see BOTH apps on my screen. Forcing your customers to use the mobile authenticator is a BAD idea, Blizzard. In my personal opinion, the idea of having BOTH the physical AND mobile authentication options available is better
You have a phone don’t you?
Ps: couldn’t help myself…
Aren’t the majority of providers offering free smartphone plans now? It may not be an iphone X but itll have the store to download the authentication.
I had bought an Authenticator years ago when they came out and I now use the mobile authenticator app. I don’t know how you’re having problems if you’re using an Android emulator because all you have to do is hit approve
I personally took the authenticator off my account completely couple years ago. It isn’t worth the trouble.
Probably because the amount of people joining the authenticator program don’t need one, so continuing to make them would be a poor business decision.
Oh I paid 24 dollars for my smartphone it’s an inexpensive ZTE blade Vantage. I know it’s not top of the line but it works just fine for everything that I need and I paid $40 a month for my prepaid with Verizon. I also know there are a lot cheaper prepaid plans out there like with Metro CPS or whatever and other companies.
I have no problem with authenticating when I sign on to Blizzard Forums on my phone. I just minimize the forums and then I hit approve on the Authenticator. And if you set up notifications for the authenticator it’s even easier.
so downloading an android emulator won’t work? I’ve not tried as I have a smart phone…
Don’t even need a smart phone, just set up the sms texting through your account by registering your phone number to your account, and then you don’t need an app.
I have a smartphone and I really rather prefer the physical one (I’m amazed it still works).
I guess I should download the app just in case.
Same here. I prefer the physical one. My main reason is battery life. Smart phones today drain batteries ridiculously fast. I’m used to the days of my old flip-phone where I could charge it once and it would be good for about 3 weeks as opposed to to about 3 days. I can set my smart phone to extend the battery life back to that longer duration, but it disables apps including authenticator ones. It’s just inconvenient to have to reset my phone settings just to use the app, when I could press a button on the physical authenticator and be done with it.
honestly the things are a financial disaster I mean they probably cost more to make than their actually sold for considering theyre all imported from china and they really aren’t 100% guaranteed to be effective since hackers are always seemingly a step ahead authenticators are merely a hurdle not a force field
im sure Blizzard thought they looked good on paper and made them with the best of intentions in regards to helping the players safeguard their accounts but nothing will be a true determent against determined people out to steal from others
constant vigilance is the only option as well as the best weapon people have
I’ve never had an authenticator, and in 13 years of playing the game I’ve also never had a problem with my account. I always felt that authenticators were over-rated and just not necessary.
To be fair, this is legitimately a good question in this case. The phone-based authenticator is objectively better than the physical one every time. I had no idea they were even still making the physical ones.
But…
How could you not own a phone in 2019…? I’m perplexed here, someone plays WoW, but doesn’t have a smart phone.
Will the authenticators still be supported? Or do people just have to trash them?
I use bluestacks because I REFUSE to use a stupid smartphone for anything. I just hate them and I don’t need an extra bill anyway. Bluestacks works fine–it’s an android emulator and it’s what I have my authenticator on.
Because not all of us feel the need to be on our phones 24/7 or rely on them for anything or want another bill? I’m fine with not having one. They’re stupid, frankly.
So you don’t even SMS?
I just tested it out with MEmu as well, works there.