Activision Blizzard is ending the original game’s service while bringing a whole lot of changes to Overwatch 2; from new characters, maps, and features, among others. However, there are two features that are being introduced in Overwatch 2 that are currently creating much hubbub all over the internet: voice chat recording and SMS Protect.
The Reason Behind Voice Chat Recording in Overwatch 2
Activision Blizzard believes that being able to record voice chat will help create a “safer community” and ensure a “positive experience” for all Overwatch 2 players. Simply put, voice chat recording is added to Overwatch 2 to help the developer combat verbal and gameplay abuse or cheaters as well as toxic player behavior. The company reassures players, saying that its chat review tools do not “store voice chat data long term”; once the voice chat has been transcribed to text, it will be quickly deleted “no later than 30 days.”
The Overwatch 2 developer also added that all existing players and newcomers will need to have a phone number attached to their Battle.net account to be able to launch the game and enable the SMS Protect two-factor authentications in case of an account compromise. One phone number will be valid only for one Battle.net account. Below are the quotes straight from the horse’s mouth.
In regards to Overwatch 2‘s brand new voice chat recording feature:
For years, our team has used machine learning to detect and prevent disruptive behavior, cheating, and disruptive text chat. […] We’re expanding our detection capabilities by introducing audio transcriptions in the following weeks after launch.
Audio transcriptions allow us to collect a temporary voice chat recording of a reported player and automatically transcribe it through speech to text programs. The text file is then analyzed for disruptive behavior by our chat review tools. Once the audio recording has been transcribed to text, it’s quickly deleted as the file’s sole purpose is to identify potentially disruptive behavior. The text file is then deleted no later than 30 days after the audio transcription.
This system relies on players reporting disruptive behavior as soon as they encounter it in game because we do not store voice chat data long term. This means you should report disruptive behavior as it’s occurring in-game to give us the best chance at detecting, catching, and preventing disruptive players. Your reports matter—player reporting is one of the most effective methods for identifying and actioning disruptive behavior as quickly as possible.
How the SMS Protect feature will work:
Starting October 4, 2022, all players across all platforms, including consoles, are required to have a phone number attached to their battle.net account to launch Overwatch 2. The same phone number cannot be used on multiple accounts at the same time, and players can’t use the same phone number to create multiple accounts. A phone number can only be used once when making a new account, and certain types of numbers, including pre-paid and VOIP, cannot be used for SMS Protect.
The security of your account is important, and SMS Protect helps verify ownership of your account in the unforeseen event of an account compromise. Similarly, if a disruptive player has been suspended or banned, SMS Protect makes it more difficult for them to return to the game.
Even if you own a previous box version of the original Overwatch, you still need to activate SMS Protect to play Overwatch 2.
On one hand, it’s fair for the player base to be wary of any attempt to deal with malicious third parties that infringe on security issues; the game industry is not known for how well it handles consumers’ well-being when it comes to anti-cheat programs and online abuses. But on the other hand, in theory, this should give the developer proper proof of any wrongdoings and help them act much faster when dealing with in-game abuses. What do you think of the Overwatch 2 voice chat recording controversy? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
