400°

Modern Warfare 2 will seemingly require a phone number like Overwatch 2

From VGC: "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 will seemingly require players to register a phone number to play the game, much like Activision Blizzard‘s recently released Overwatch 2.

A recently updated article on Blizzard’s website detailing its use of phone requirements on Battle.net states that players will need a phone number to play Modern Warfare 2.

While having a mobile phone may not seem like a large barrier to entry in modern life, the site specifies that mobile numbers with prepaid plans may not work."

Read Full Story >>
videogameschronicle.com
Bobertt589d ago

I was on the fence before but now im definitely not getting it. Gotta stop supporting these shit companies.

alb1899589d ago ShowReplies(4)
Gridknac589d ago

I hope every idiot that gives them their phone No. gets spam advertising texts, robo calls, and salesman blowing up their ph for the rest of their lives. If you think they are doing this for any benefit to gamers, your as dumb as Activision hopes. Doing this to stop cheating, come on. They are about to get tens of millions of valid phone numbers, they are gonna sell that shit to the highest bidder. Not only will you be getting text informing you about the latest batch of COD point deals, your going to have your number blasted out to every ad agency in the world. This is about money, plain and simple. Right now data is the new gold.

lodossrage589d ago

Apparently, people don't care about things like what you're talking about as long as they can get their gaming fix.

And because enough sheep are willing to turn a blind eye to nonsense, it will only get worse.

Hell, at this point, I'm certain there is going to be a company that says "we need some of your dna for you to play this game". And some idiots will find a way to excuse it.

Bobertt589d ago (Edited 589d ago )

It's also going to be use to build a profile for people who are caught saying things they don't approve of. Blizzard said they will use it to "hold toxic players accountable". Microsoft, FB, Google, already create databases of people who disagree with or speak out against the lies of the government or mainstream media so it's not a stretch to believe Activision will use this for Microsoft. Whatever they deem to be bad language or wrong ideas can get you banned or flagged and now they have your phone number to more easily track you and build a profile for the Government.

If you think that is crazy don't forget people in China who have their internet monitored were using chat systems in video games to get information out of China and say things the CCP didn't approve of. That's one of the reason CCP started cracking down on video games.

REDGUM589d ago

Couldn't you just block any spam calls & messages afterwards?
I understand how this can be frustrating to many but I dunno about you but I get heaps of spam messages & calls now already so pressing block once more on you're phone doesn't seem that much of a catastrophe.
Again, I do understand what you mean and you shouldn't have to give out any other information than using you're gaming account in the 1st place.
That said, my date of birth, phone number, full name, address & bank card details is online now with my gaming platform to have opened the account in the 1st place.

If this over helps block cheaters then fine but if it is just for marketing, I'm not ok with that. There's no real way to check that either though!

SullysCigar589d ago

^ @Bobertt gets it. You can add Twitter to that list, too. Sounds far fetched, but sadly it's not. Data is indeed the new gold. Its valuable to trade and you're unlikely to be able to track who sold it, or do anything about it even if you did.

I hope there's a notes field in the sign up, as I might as well save them the trouble of finding my mother's maiden name, the name of my first pet and my card PIN.../S

I'm not doing this. I dumped Oculus when they decided "no Facebook account, no gaming". You don't need my phone number and I don't need your game.

I'll live.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 589d ago
Jin_Sakai589d ago

“I was on the fence before but now im definitely not getting it. Gotta stop supporting these shit companies.“

Aren’t they doing this so when they ban cheaters they have no way of getting back into the game? Hence the reason pre paid plans aren’t supported because cheaters can just go get another plan easily?

GamerRN589d ago

If you think about is, this actually is an amazing idea for stopping cheaters. If you get caught, your phone number gets blocked, and it's harder to just create a new account.

senorfartcushion589d ago (Edited 589d ago )

It’s just not that big of a deal. No one really cares about cheaters

MW2 2009 was a blast, and that game was unbalanced to hell.

Spenok589d ago

Ever heard of IP banning? Yeah, not hard.

Michiel1989588d ago

ip banning doesnt work for shit. need to ban the mac adress since you can easily change your IP.

isarai589d ago

Ip ban is much more effective and way less intrusive, not to mention has been around for literally decades

CantThinkOfAUsername589d ago

IP ban means jack if you use a VPN or restart your router. Only hardware-ID ban is effective and even then there are workarounds.

staticall589d ago

It's not though. Phone numbers can switch owners. Imagine if some cheater uses a phone, gets banned and then cancells the phone contract. Phone company will not remove the phone completely, right? It will give it to some poor soul, who will be banned or under the suspicion right away, without doing anything.

Cheaters can buy phone numbers in bulk for cheap, use phishing to get the code, guess the code after some tries, add spyware to some apps you're running (like some Flashlight app that requires SMS permission on Android) and other nasty stuff. Not to mention, selling accounts with the game and phone activation. Like people are already doing for some services.

Oh, by the way, recently Activision announced new kernel-level anti-cheat driver RICOCHET (you can search the internet for it). Do you really think they need your phone if they have access on kernel-level? No, they're just collecting your personal data for whatever reason (marketing, profile data, etc)

GoodGuy09589d ago

Many other companies out of video games already require your phone so what difference does this make? Cheaters will always find ways to get over something but hey, it's more stuff they gotta deal with so it's good for us

staticall589d ago

@GoodGuy09
If a person steals from you, does it make ok for other to steal as well? No. One doing something is not an excuse for you to do that thing as well. Not to mention, i don't know «many other companies» that require your phone number. Valve/Steam, CD Projekt RED/GOG, Sony, Nintendo do not require your phone, so...

«it's good for us»
You're trolling, right? Good how exactly? I'll repeat myself, it seems like you didn't read the whole message: «kernel-level anti-cheat driver RICOCHET», which can ID your machine and ban it completely, so even OS reinstall wouldn't work, unless you swap out all the parts. So no phone is needed. Swapping computer parts is much more expensive than buying another phone number, isn't it?

P. S.: I wonder, if they would require you to provide a DNA sample and a prostate analysis, would you also think «it's good for us»? Rhetorical question.

HyperMoused589d ago (Edited 589d ago )

im sure there would be an ulterior motive

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 588d ago
FPS_D3TH589d ago

Lmao I’m all for it. Don’t support it if you don’t want. We didn’t need more cheaters anyways

senorfartcushion589d ago

I’m just playing the single player until they remove it due to the classist nonsense associated with thinking everyone is on contract.

MW nerds.

EvertonFC589d ago (Edited 589d ago )

"pre paid plans may not work" or "pay as you go for battlenet"

I'm on a pay as you go" so if you think I'm gonna buy digital to find out it doesn't work then go through the hassle of trying to get my money back off PSN then you can fu*k off
This was gonna be my 1st CoD in 4 years so bye bye.

GoodGuy09589d ago

I used mine fine which is prepaid. Seems it doesn't work for certain phone plans though unfortunately.

EvertonFC589d ago (Edited 589d ago )

I'm just saying once you download and start the game with PSN you're refund policy is void so I'm not gonna go through the hassle of it not working..
"May work" or "may not work" is BS is it NOT?

lodossrage589d ago

@EvertonFC,

slight correction. It's only when you START the game is the policy voided. If you downloaded it the policy isn't void. I can speak to that first hand when somehow black ops 4 was on my PS4 despite not ever purchasing a cod game in my life. They refunded me no issue

Show all comments (82)
200°

Let's Be Real, There Is Nothing "Micro" About Microtransactions Anymore

Microtransactions have gotten ridiculously overpriced in recent years, with titles now offering cosmetic skins worth more than some games.

Terry_B16d ago

Yup..this is 100% the sad truth

z2g15d ago (Edited 15d ago )

The elephant in the room tho is personal accountability. It’s easy (albeit basic) to blame the big, bad corpo, but microtransactions wouldn’t be where they are if gamers didn’t spend money on them. As it stands the MTs usually make more than the game. Publishers know raising game prices will cause backlash, so they do MTs to compensate. But the adult conversation is consumers determine the success of products with their wallets. So if MTs are a huge thing, it’s because we as consumers told them we like them by giving them a lot of money for them. So if you don’t want them to be a thing, convince your fellow gamers to stop buying them and expect that games will be decently more expensive. You all can disagree all you want, but reality is a bitch, and eventually you have to live in it.

anast15d ago

Trying to convince people is the least realistic thing. If we are trying to be adults, actual action is what changes things not "convincing campaigns" on platforms owned by the people 'you' are going against. It's madness and idealistic.

ApocalypseShadow15d ago

Easier said than done. I've told gamers for years to not buy micro transactions, expensive dlc, etc. Gamers bought it anyway. Didn't fit on a DVD that would have fit on a Blu-ray disc.

I also told some gamers to not pay for online like Xbox Live because it would force the rest of the industry to only offer playing online if you pay for it. Told them not to support a broken console that Red Ringed. To not support Xbox One because Microsoft tried to take away game ownership and how you play your games. To not pay for a console by one manufacturer where a, now 3 trillion worth, didn't make enough games at the level of Nintendo or Sony who are worth less money.

How much of that did you support anyway with your money then go back and read your comment again.

notachance15d ago

yeah that was like telling people not to do drugs or alcohol, these game companies invested a lot of money in researching about how to make people buy MTs, from creating mechanics like loot boxes, purposely make the game grindy, all the way to menu designs and what color and sound effects played when gamers bought MTs.

It was specifically engineered to take advantage of vulnerable and prone to addiction people.

bradfh15d ago

@z2g
People always struggle with issues like drinking, drugs, and gambling. But in games, especially those played by kids, microtransactions are another way companies take advantage of them. It's a problem that needs addressing.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 15d ago
S2Killinit15d ago

I recommend everyone read this article.

My suggestion is to name these transactions, what they ARE: Hidden-fees.

isarai16d ago

I mean except for the amount of content you're paying for.

Hugodastrevas15d ago

There never was, the only time I paid for a microtransaction was on Blacklight Retribution (PS4) and it was because I enjoyed the game a lot so I felt the devs should get something for all that entertainment (€5 "membership")

-Foxtrot15d ago

The devs wouldn’t get that though, that shit goes straight to the higher ups who do f*** all let’s be honest.

Hugodastrevas15d ago

Probably, but I wasn't as cynical back then and €5 wasn't a big ask to get the guns with grinding instead of renting them, and the game was good (still is on the PS5/4)

CrimsonWing6915d ago (Edited 15d ago )

I couldn’t believe what Blizzard charged for horse armor and cosmetics in Diablo 4…

I remember back in the day when a season pass was $15 and you got everything included in it. Now, I see them at $60 and you still don’t get everything.

CantThinkOfAUsername15d ago

That's just Blizzard. Unlike Bethesda's $0.99 horse armour, Blizzard's first microtransaction, Sparkle Pony, cost $15.

Phoenix7615d ago

Bethesda out did themselves a few years back with 76. They released a Xmas bundle for half price on day of release! So, was meant to sell for only $12 from day 1, but tried to convince everyone it was half price, by marking it at $24!

Shane Kim15d ago

As soon as gaming wasn't deemed nerdy anymore, and reached the casuals this happened. We're smart, but casuals play mobile games and other stuff, and don't really have anything to compare. They think gaming is supposed to be like this and pay for in game purchases.

Show all comments (29)
60°

Overwatch 2 Season 10 midseason patch brings big updates for Tanks

Tanks are getting some hefty buffs for the Overwatch 2 Season 10 midseason patch. After a lot of community discussion about the role feeling the worst to play for a while, the development team is changing some numbers to make these brutes harder for the enemy team to take advantage of.

Read Full Story >>
gamesandwich.com
70°

Blizzard Pulled Off One Of Gaming's Biggest Scams, And We Let It Get Away With It

Danish from eXputer: "Blizzard overpromised the PVE elements of Overwatch 2, and then failed to deliver on just about all of them, despite charging money."

franwex31d ago (Edited 31d ago )

No, no, no. Only the people that paid money let them get away with it. There’s no we.

Support Blizzard at your own risk.

Michiel198931d ago

Everyone that I know that used to play overwatch has quit at this point, I don't feel like they got away with it.

PRIMORDUS31d ago

For me the original OW was amazing just for the first 2 yrs after that I had enough. Now I play Paladins from time to time.

Michiel198931d ago

Same for me, it was my favorite game for a good while after it launched and that's coming from someone who doesn't enjoy competitive shooters. I've considered playing Paladins but never bit the bullet, so many good games coming out that it's hard to spare some hours for a competitive game

PRIMORDUS31d ago

So if you just play this POS game without spending a cent Blizzard will not see a profit at all.