Overwatch 2 introduces new features, First Time User Experience

With Overwatch 2 coming soon, Blizzard is introducing some new features, including security and safety features, as well as the FTUE.

Blizzard is introducing quite a few changes to Overwatch 2, ranging from measures against toxicity to new player features. Keep reading to learn more about the new features in Overwatch 2, including safety and security features, as well as the FTUE.

Overwatch 2 First Time User Experience

Blizzard is implementing what they call the First Time User Experience, or FTUE. The FTUE, as the name implies, is meant to ease new players into the Overwatch experience. This helps prevent players from being overwhelmed by the modes and characters that Overwatch has. This is understandable, as there are going to be eleven game modes in Overwatch 2, as well as 35 unique heroes on release.

One of the features Blizzard is implementing involves locking heroes behind matches. That is, players have to play 100 matches before they unlock all of the original heroes. As mentioned previously, this helps ease players into the many available heroes in the game. Other than the characters, the competitive modes are also locked behind playing matches. For competitive modes, players will have to win 50 Quick Play matches before playing competitively. Blizzard says that this should help new players get acquainted with the different modes, rules, and more before playing in a competitive setting.

Blizzard does mention that when playing with a group, most FTUE restrictions are lifted. Competitive mode, however, is not included in the lifted restrictions.

Overwatch 2 Security and Safety Precautions

Blizzard laid out some of the safety precautions they are implementing for Overwatch 2. One of the biggest security features they are implementing is SMS Protect. The functions of SMS Protect are two-fold, both equally important. The first is that SMS Protect helps protect you from hackers. Each account in Overwatch 2 is tied to one phone number. One phone number can't be tied to multiple accounts, nor can multiple accounts be made using the same number. Each phone number can only be used once, and certain types of numbers cannot be used. These include pre-paid and VOIP numbers. The second function that SMS Protect is that it helps protect players from toxic players. Once a player is banned, they cannot make a new account and go back to the game with their toxicity. They would need a new phone number to make a new account.

Blizzard is also introducing machine learning into their anti-toxicity efforts. Machine learning can detect “disruptive behavior, cheating, and disruptive text chat.” Other than this, they are also planning to analyze the voice communications of players. Whenever a player is reported for toxicity. a copy of their voice chat communication is made. This recording is then automatically transcribed. This transcription is then analyzed to see if the player engaged in disruptive behavior. The audio file and the transcription are both deleted after they have been checked.

Overwatch 2 Defense Matrix

Blizzard is also implementing a task force, called the Defense Matrix (named after D. Va's skill). The Defense Matrix is a team of Blizzard employees working together to battle toxicity and cheating in the game. This also includes employees outside of the Overwatch and Blizzard teams. Blizzard hopes that this will help in creating a safe, non-toxic environment in Overwatch 2. This task force's job includes the analysis of reports, as well as the reverse-engineering of cheats.