Overwatch 2 players have been left confused after discovering that using swear words while playing the game can potentially get their accounts suspended, as Blizzard customer service reiterates that "profanity has never been allowed in our games."
This was first flagged after a number of Twitter users took to the social media site to ask why their accounts had been suspended, to which they were told that "inappropriate language" and profanity, if reported, is grounds for suspension.
Responding to one player who asked why "my account keeps getting punished," customer support explains: "This would be for profanity. Specifically liberal use of F-bombs in chat. Profanity isn't allowed in our games. Not explicitly, not abbreviated, not masked or misspelled." In a separate interaction, it's stated that "F-bombs in any form are not acceptable."
Needless to say, this has raised questions amongst the Overwatch community. The shooter itself offers a profanity filter for its chat, which users can utilize if they don't want to see bad language, and some have pointed out that its existence essentially "gives off the impression that profanity is permitted." However, responding to questions about the filter, community support says: "No, the filter is for those who wish to use it, but profanity has never been allowed in our games. If reported, absolutely actionable."
Throughout the interactions, Blizzard customer support points to the company's in-game code of conduct, which states that "you may not use language that could be offensive or vulgar to others," and that like discriminatory language and hate speech, "obscene or disruptive language" is also considered inappropriate. "Violating any of these expectations will result in account restrictions. More serious and repeated violations will result in greater restrictions," it adds.
Of course, it's obvious to see why someone would be suspended if this language is directed towards any other players – the confusing part is that, based on customer support's phrasing here, it seems that all profanity is forbidden, regardless of the context. Without the exact details of the phrases that have gotten players suspended recently, it's hard to tell just how strict these rules are in reality, but just be aware that you may face consequences if you use swear words in the game's chat.
For more first-person shooter action, be sure to check out our list of the top 25 best FPS games you can play now.
