The 'Overwatch 2 Will Require...' meme emerged during the game's 2022 launch period, primarily as a satirical response to Blizzard's 'Defense Matrix' security initiative. Players were initially frustrated by the mandatory requirement of a postpaid phone number to access the game, leading to widespread 'SMS Protect' jokes. The format evolved into a versatile template used to critique the perceived intrusiveness and monetization strategies of modern live-service games. Users typically add absurd or invasive demands to the template, ranging from financial information to physical sacrifices, highlighting the community's skepticism toward corporate gaming policies and account verification hurdles.