Blizzard permabans Overwatch 2 player for calling someone a “noob”

Overwatch 2 players may want to think twice before throwing around old-school gaming insults, as Blizzard just upheld a permanent ban against a user for calling someone a “noob.”

Since its launch, Overwatch 2 has slowly regained favor with players thanks to new heroes, modes, and highly-requested competitive features like hero bans and map voting. But while the gameplay has improved, Blizzard’s reporting system continues to frustrate fans.

A post on the Overwatch subreddit revealed that a player was hit with a permanent suspension after being flagged for “inappropriate communications.” The chat log showed the offending words: “noob,” “?,” and “worth.”

When the player appealed, Blizzard support doubled down. “This account has received multiple penalties for this type of behavior and thus multiple opportunities to correct that behavior,” a Game Master explained. “After my review, I can confirm that the suspension was issued correctly and will be upheld.”

Overwatch 2 community baffled by “noob” ban

Although ‘noob’ can be seen as an insult, it’s widely considered tame gaming slang, often used jokingly to describe someone struggling in a match. That hasn’t stopped Blizzard from handing out some extreme penalties before, though.

Community reaction was swift, with most siding with the banned player. “Unbelievably pathetic. Noob is a player title for Christ’s sake,” one comment read. Another added, “Just make filters for the babies that can’t handle words. Why is this even a thing?”

This isn’t the first time players have been punished for language that some argue is relatively harmless. In 2024, pro player Mason ‘durpee’ Kuehne was banned for typing “f**k” — a word Overwatch’s own hero Cassidy cheekily references on his belt buckle with “BAMF.”

In January of last year, another player reported being suspended for typing “GG,” “yippeee,” and “nice shot.”

With Blizzard showing no signs of loosening its chat policies, Overwatch 2 players may want to avoid even the most tongue-in-cheek gaming slang, or risk losing their accounts for good.