The time has come: zero hour is upon us. The long-awaited team hero shooter Overwatch 2 is drawing ever closer, embracing the new free-to-play model and introducing a variety of new goodies: new heroes, maps, battle passes and much more. To celebrate the upcoming arrival, developer Blizzard Entertainment shared the launch trailer you can find above.
Over two minutes of footage, the trailer shows some new faces and familiar figures, teasing players with the promise of a new free-to-play experience, 5v5 battles, 35 unique heroes, 22 global maps, 6 distinct modes. All in all, the new era for Overwatch is about to begin.
However, the start of something new also means new opportunities for dishonest and toxic players to ruin the experience for others. And so the developers have shared a new blog post where they outline Defense Matrix Initiative – the infrastructure of systems designed to help protect the integrity of gameplay and promote positive behavior in Overwatch 2.
Here are some of the things the team will employ to keep the game fun and safe at every level:
- SMS PROTECTION. 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. 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.
- SYSTEMS DESIGN. The developers have outlined the use of machine learning and audio transcriptions to detect and prevent disruptive behavior. The game will also feature first time user experience to ease new players into the world of Overwatch 2. Other systems include endorsements, pre-competitive match screen, ping system, general chat and more.
- DEFENSE MATRIX TASK FORCES. Overwatch’s internal task force consists of a diverse set of roles from teams across Blizzard. Meanwhile, the external task force includes a broad range of involvement throughout Activision Blizzard King and extending beyond.
