If you’ve ever wanted to practice new heroes without tanking your competitive rank, or separate your casual late-night play sessions from your serious weekend grind, you’ve probably asked can you have 2 Overwatch accounts. Lots of players run multiple accounts for all kinds of reasons, but there’s a ton of conflicting info online about what’s allowed, what will get you banned, and how to do it safely if you choose to. I’ve been playing Overwatch since the original 2016 launch, and I’ve tested out a second account myself over the last three years, so I’ll break down everything you need to know below, no fluff or misinformation.
Official Blizzard Rules: Can You Have 2 Overwatch Accounts?
The short answer here is yes, you are allowed to have multiple Overwatch accounts, as long as you follow Blizzard’s official Terms of Service for each one. Unlike some other game publishers that restrict players to a single account per person, Blizzard explicitly lets users create multiple Battle.net accounts, as long as each is registered to you and used only by you. Blizzard explicitly permits multiple accounts as long as all activity on each account follows their Terms of Service, so you won’t get banned just for having two accounts on the same IP or payment method.
You don’t even have to pay for a second account anymore, since Overwatch 2 is free to play for all users. The only requirements are that each account uses a unique, valid email address during registration, and that you don’t use either account to break any of Blizzard’s core rules. The only time having two accounts becomes a problem is if you use them to engage in prohibited activity, which we’ll cover in more detail later.
It’s worth noting that account sharing is still against the rules, even for your second account. You can’t let a friend or family member play on your second account to boost its rank, or let someone else use it to play with lower-ranked friends. Every account you make should be for your personal use only, to avoid unnecessary sanctions.
Common Reasons Players Use a Second Overwatch Account
Most players make a second Overwatch account for totally legitimate, rule-abiding reasons that make their gameplay experience more fun and less stressful. The most popular use case is practicing new roles or heroes without risking the rank you spent months grinding on your main account. Practicing new heroes without ruining your main rank is a huge draw, especially if you main one role and want to try learning a completely different one without getting flamed by teammates for underperforming.
Another common reason is playing with friends who are at a wildly different skill level. If you’re a Grandmaster main and your friend is brand new to the game, queuing together on your main will put you in lobbies that are way too hard for them, and you’ll get flamed for throwing if you don’t play at your full skill level. A second account lets you queue at their rank without any downsides for your main progress.
Some legitimate, TOS-compliant reasons to make a second account include:
- Learning new roles or heroes without impacting your main account’s competitive rank
- Playing with friends who are at a much lower or higher skill level without mismatching lobbies
- Creating content for streams or social media without exposing your main account to stream snipers
- Having a dedicated account for competitive grinding and a separate one for casual, unranked play sessions
That said, not all use cases are allowed. If you’re making a second account to deliberately smurf, or throw matches to get a lower rank so you can stomp new players, that’s a direct violation of Blizzard’s rules, and you can face bans on both your accounts if you get caught. Always make sure you’re playing fairly, no matter which account you’re using.
Risks of Running Multiple Overwatch Accounts You Need to Know
Even though having two accounts is allowed, there are still risks you need to be aware of before you make a second one. The biggest risk by far is linked account bans. Ban penalties apply to all linked accounts if you violate TOS on any of your accounts. If you get caught using cheats, boosting, or throwing matches on your second account, Blizzard can trace the account back to your IP address, payment method, or personal information, and ban every account you own, even if your main account never broke any rules.
I saw this happen to a friend of mine last year. He made a second account to mess around with some aim assist software he found online, thinking it wouldn’t matter because it was a “throwaway” account. Two weeks later, he got an email saying both his smurf and his 6-year-old main account (with hundreds of dollars worth of limited edition skins) were permanently banned. There was no way to appeal it, and he lost all his progress permanently.
Another risk is that no progress or cosmetics carry over between accounts. All your skins, battle pass progress, competitive points, and unlocks are tied exclusively to the account you earned them on. You can’t transfer a skin from your main to your second account, and if you buy a battle pass on one account, it won’t apply to the other. If you care about cosmetics, you’ll have to grind or pay for everything twice if you want it on both accounts.
You’ll also have to go through the new player experience and competitive placement matches all over again on your second account. That means you’ll be stuck in faster, less balanced quick play lobbies for your first few dozen matches, and you’ll have to win 50 quick play matches before you can even queue for competitive on the new account. It’s a small hassle, but it’s worth noting if you’re planning to use the second account for competitive play right away.
Safe Practices for Using 2 Overwatch Accounts Without Issues
If you decide to make a second Overwatch account, there are a few simple rules you can follow to avoid any problems or bans. First, use a unique, valid email address for each Battle.net account. You don’t have to use a fake name or fake information, but using separate emails makes it easier to keep track of both accounts, and reduces the chance of accidental security flags from Blizzard.
You don’t need to use a VPN to run two accounts, contrary to what some random forum posts might tell you. Playing on two accounts from the same home IP address is totally allowed, and using a VPN can actually trigger security flags if you’re switching regions constantly, which can lead to temporary account locks while Blizzard verifies your identity. It’s better to just play on your regular home network for both accounts.
Never use any third-party tools, cheats, or exploits on either account, even if you think the second account doesn’t matter. As we covered earlier, bans can roll over to all your linked accounts, so even a small cheat on a throwaway account can cost you your main. This includes anything from aimbots to small quality of life tools that modify game files – if it’s not approved by Blizzard, don’t use it on any account you own.
Never share access to either account with other people, even if it’s a close friend who just wants to play a few matches. Account sharing is a direct violation of Blizzard’s Terms of Service, and if the person you share it with does something toxic, throws matches, or uses cheats, you’ll be the one held responsible. If a friend wants their own account, they can make one for free in just a few minutes.
Finally, avoid any activity that could be considered boosting or rank manipulation. Don’t throw matches on your second account to get a lower rank, and don’t queue with your second account on a different device to boost its rank faster. Both of these activities are against the rules, and they ruin the game for other players who are just trying to climb fairly. If you play both accounts the same way you’d play your main, you won’t have any issues.
At the end of the day, the answer to can you have 2 Overwatch accounts is a resounding yes, as long as you’re willing to follow the rules and play fairly on both. A second account can make your gameplay experience way more flexible, letting you try new things, play with more friends, and separate your casual and serious play without risking the progress you’ve built on your main. Just remember to avoid any TOS violations, keep your accounts to yourself, and you’ll get all the benefits of multiple accounts with none of the risks. If you’re on the fence, you can make a second account for free right now to test it out, no upfront cost required.