In what looks to be an annoying new trend, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II will require players to register a mobile phone number in order to play. This is a measure supposedly taken to increase security, something that Blizzard tried with Overwatch 2 before swiftly removing it following player backlash.
This is all according to an updated article on Blizzard's website (thanks, VGC), which outlines the requirements quite starkly: "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, newly created Overwatch 2 accounts, and newly created Call of Duty: Modern Warfare accounts require a phone number." Under the eligibility and limitations subheading, the hits keep coming, stating, "Mobile phones with prepaid plans may not work with the phone notification service."
On one hand, we get it, you need to do something about cheaters, and we give up our contact information to other companies and services like Google without much thought. That being said, with the abysmal state of online security in games lately, forgive us for not jumping at the chance. Does anyone want to bet on how long it will be before the requirements are dropped once the game goes live and players vent their spleens? Overwatch 2 lasted less than 48 hours, so that's the number to beat.
What do you think of this new initiative of Blizzard's? Do you think we will see more companies adopting such measures in the future? Provide us with your personal information before you are allowed to access the comments section below.
[source us.battle.net, via videogameschronicle.com]
Comments 48
Do you think this will even make it to the finish line ? The implementation of this in over watch didn't even last a week due to push back, what makes them think the COD community is going to be understanding to this
Why do they even want your phone number? Do they want a DNA sample too while they are at it?
Surely this should have been tested in the beta? I mean that's what betas are for, right?
Why dont i just give them my bank account number,national insurance number etc too..wow this is really starting to infringe on peoples rights to privacy..improved security? I see it as another way of spamming you with advertisements and offers for in game mt's etc...f**k me what next?
I see Microsoft already at work before even owning the company yet lol.
cod diggin its own grave now
sales been down year after year
and now this
lets see what will happen when cod leaves the ps platform lol
Blizzard-Activision stretching the ‘Do you guys not have phones?’ -meme to the max.
Wait until you need a Microsoft account to login!! 🙄 Remember when you could load a disc (or even a floppy disk for those old enough to know what they are!),& play a game? Fun times!
Honestly that’s a deal breaker for me. I don’t care how good it is, I’m not giving my number out.
I broke down with gran turismo 7’s always online requirement against my own will (no regrets!) but this will not be so fortunate. It should not be a requirement and because it is, you can absolutely count me out.
More ways to get extra data out of people, count me out
Because it worked out so well the last time. I really hope this isn't a trend. I've seen some games in the past put cheaters in a player pool with other cheaters. That's a much better solution in my opinion. Sure they can just create a new account but sooner or later that has to get tiresome.
Bottom line you don't need phone numbers to play so just stop it!
Maybe if it was strictly for the f2p warzone portion I might be able to get it but this is a seventy dollar game. How do you get off gating access behind a contract phone plans?
@arra1213 if it wasnt for warzone this ***** franchise would be on its death bed.
This bs is why I dropped my pre-order and will not get this game.
My money's on 36 hours
I was honestly on the fence about this game but this puts me out, I literally only want it for the campaign anyway.
@arra1213 yes... . Warzone has 98 million active users currently and rising... Modern Warfare II will have millions of sold copies... phone numbers will be the grave for COD lol
I don't think they can beat Overwatch 2s record so they will go for 47 hours.
Probably so that Xbox players can call you up and talk your ear off about how great Gamepass is once the deal goes through.
Eh, not too concerned. I have already given my number to some of the major companies out there for MFA. Blizzard probably already got it from the time when I was playing lots of D3 years ago.
But they’ll likely drop the requirement after a day or two post launch like Overwatch 2.
I’m only interested in the campaign so I don’t see why I have to give them a phone number. The game is already a complete mess with all the different installation packs that confuse old guys like me! Microsoft accounts are a pain to have. Everything just seems so difficult for the end user with these companies… Most cod players are too young to have mobile phones anyway!
With how blizzard's servers run this is going to end up a disaster at launch as well.
In overwatch 2 I've still got 10 characters locked even though I've merged my account.
As a data protection professional, this seems unnecessary, especially for solo campaigns. You’d also think if the solution was to tie in mobile numbers as a validation method, it would be widely tested as to ensure it works universally (with a small percentage of errors; nothing is 100% fallible).
I’d be interested to find out how they have incorporated Privacy by Design in this, which is a fundamental part of the GDPR and legally required. I guess not …
As a professional cynic, I also think this is just another way to monetise gamers, by selling their personal data on.
This had better not become a trend!
Links in well with the other 2 articles 2k data stolen and blizzard under ddos attack can't be trusted to keep data like this safe don't see why it's necessary they have it.
Might boost temporary sim sales good news for pound shops 😂
Next up, Diablo 4 will require your pants size before allowing connection🤨
@ORO_ERICIUS the 30-day average of CoD Warzone players for Aug. -Sep. 2022 is 53 million. Still impressive but its actually down. It's obviously huge, but how many of them actually buy stuff? I played Warzone and have never given Activision a dime for it.
Honestly, I am super happy Sony is making mp games. I know everyone is upset and its doom and gloom, but honestly, some of the most unique and fun mp games of the last decade were on PS3. Killzone, Resistance, Warhawk, Starhawk, Last of Us Factions. I am so bored of Cod and the other usual suspects.
@Coltaine22 normal because Warzone 2 is around the corner... this is a multi-billion dollar business. cell phone numbers don't change anything.
Does it have to be Modern Warfare? What about having a Cold War, Vanguard, or Warzone account?
Activi$ion Bli$$ard Micro$oft
If this trend goes on I can see myself getting an old, second-hand dirt cheap phone for a couple of quid and PAYG deal just for this madness.
Oh, wait, my phone is dual-sim. That's a relief
Who cares, have my phone number
@nathanSF payg sims dont work, they expect contract
Hey even more of a reason than usual not to buy a new COD
@stvevan
Ah, thanks for that. But how do they know with just your number? It's not as if you're using the phone to buy.... ooooh
2K has been hacked with people information now being sold online, these companies take zero accountability putting their customers at risk from scams/hacks etc with their info being in the hands of God knows who. I'll just not buy COD there is no way I am giving away that sort of info just to play COD.
Blow on the cartridge put it in the console and play.
don't own a mobile so couldn't do this even if i wanted to.
this is like always online games but worse.
insane.
@ORO_ERICIUS For me its a big no no i hope more will follow im happy i did not preorder.
@nathanSF It wont work with prepaid phones you want get to get a extra subscription to play MW2?
@michaelf The less data i can give the better especially with the massive amount of data theft going around.
@Flaming_Kaiser a thoroughly recommended course of action, one not just limited to gaming!
@michaelf We already have release way to much information i hate that we only have 2 choices with phones how cool would have the been the Firefox OS.
Still remember the outrage that we had to pay €0,99 a year to use WhatsApp addfree well atleast its free but we sold our soul with it. 😢
I don't play FPS games, but this would make me wanna start cheating just to circumvent it somehow -.-
@Flaming_Kaiser yes, where’s the phone competition? I agree; too much personal information is almost freely given out these days. I also remember paying for WhatsApp!
Pre-order cancelled. Sick of absolute scumbag moves like this. The more popular the industry gets, the worse these idiotic companies act. And yet sheep will just go along with this anyway. Game will still blow past 15 mil sales easily.
So i've had this on preorder for months now and you tell me i might not be able to play it if on amobile phone pre paid tariff i think that is very unfair.
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