Blizzard has issued its first publicly-confirmed ban wave forOverwatch 2, but there’s a catch. Cheating is an ever-present issue in online multiplayer games andOverwatch 2is not immune from that. Even the most sophisticated anti-cheat tools can only do so much against the ingenuity of cheat-makers. While hacks haven’t been as prolific inOverwatch 2as in some other online shooters, there has been awareness of the problem. Blizzard’s work will seemingly be never-ending.Overwatch 2does feature expansive anti-cheat efforts, which Blizzard has branded its Defense Matrix. The Defense Matrix has been largely left undetailed, with Blizzard preferring to keep its anti-cheat systems secretive. What Blizzard has said includes thatOverwatch 2features “multiple systems,” of which in-game reporting is just one, to enforce anti-cheating efforts. Other consumer-facing anti-cheat efforts includeOverwatch 2’s SMS requirementsfor free-to-play players and what it calls its First Time User Experience, which cushions the ability of cheaters to directly influence the community experience.RELATED:Overwatch 2 Players Discover Interesting Easter Egg in Halloween EventBut Blizzard takes harsher, direct action against cheaters, too. A Blizzard post made onOverwatch 2’s South Korean community forums states that the company has issued a ban wave removing 3,486 player accounts. The ban wave specifically targetedOverwatch 2players using hack and cheat programs to influence gameplay. This is the first official confirmation from Blizzard that it hasbannedOverwatch 2accounts, though it’s all but certainly not the last.
The one catch is that this ban wave forOverwatch 2is specific to the game’s South Korean servers.Blizzardteams from other regions have yet to publicly confirm any ban waves, at least for the time being. Still, it does prove that Blizzard is taking action against hackers and that its anti-cheat efforts are ongoing. It’s likely just a matter of time before other regions make similar statements regarding bans.
To Blizzard’s credit,Overwatchhas never been a series associated with widespread cheating issues. That’s not to say they don’t exist, obviously, butBlizzard’s anti-cheat effortsare clearly effective. When a game’s community starts having to talk about issues with cheating, it’s already gotten to an unacceptable point.
Aggressive response to cheaters allows other criticisms to come into focus, however.Overwatch 2is not a perfect game, just as no online multiplayer game can be. Players have issues with toxicity among the fanbase, as well asBlizzard’s monetization. But the community is at least able to have that conversation due to cheating not being so paramount. Hopefully, Blizzard is able to maintain that going forward.
Overwatch 2is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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