Overwatch 2 bans over 800,000 cheaters and responds to smurfs: The end of Unranked to GM videos?

Overwatch 2's Defense Matrix initiative has now banned 800,000 accounts since the launch of the game. Here's the latest on what the Defense Matrix team had to say about cheaters, smurfing, and more.

According to the Defense Matrix team, the goal of these bans is to make sure Overwatch 2 is fair, fun, and fosters an inclusive and social experience. Hacks that grant players an upper hand go against this overall mission. Overwatch 2 cheats also go against Blizzard's in-game code of conduct and the Battle.net end-user license agreement (EULA).

"Those caught using hacks such as aimbots, spinbots, or wall hacks can expect their accounts to be permanently banned," the Defense Matrix team stated.

In the official post, the team acknowledged the community's call for them to step it up as well. They added that they're working on ways to prevent cheaters from targeting top players and content creators in regions like Korea, Japan, and North America.

The team addressed frustrations from new players facing seasoned players on new accounts, too. This is known as "smurfing." To combat this, they're working on and testing technology that adjusts matchmaking rating (MMR) and introduces bots for the first five matches of new accounts.

We expect "Unranked to Grand Master" videos and streams to be easier to watch, given how much shorter they'll be," the post continued. "While we don’t restrict players to one account, it is encouraged that you spend the time developing your skills on only one account when possible."

The latest Defense Matrix update also went into disruptive chat and gameplay behaviors, noting that disruptive players could face silences, suspensions, or permanent bans. The team then reminded players that they can now report directly from the scoreboard should they notice disruptive acts.

That's all for now. Stick around on esports.gg for more Overwatch 2 news and updates.