There is nothing more annoying than an Overwatch ban, which stops you from competing in Competitive Play; fortunately, this guide will teach you how to bypass a ban with the best VPN for Overwatch.
VPNs change your IP address and enable you to overcome restrictions, such as IP bans on live service games like Overwatch. Moreover, VPNs use encryption which can protect you from DDoS attacks as well as bandwidth throttling from your ISP.
If you are a fan of Overwatch, you’ll know that there is nothing worse than losing a team battle due to lag or buffering. Fast connection speeds are vital for Overwatch players, and a VPN may offer an excellent solution to prevent interference from your ISP.
You can also change your location with a VPN for Overwatch, and play against opponents on servers in other countries. If you want easier matches, then you might want to adjust your virtual location to play against gamers in different time zones.
From how to overcome bans on Overwatch to the best VPN services for Overwatch, here is everything you need to know.
If you’ve been banned from Overwatch Competitive Play for breaking the rules, you can be banned from the remaining Competitive Play season. Fortunately, a VPN can help you to overcome this.
The first step to bypassing an Overwatch ban is to sign up for a VPN subscription; we’ve already found the best VPNs for Overwatch, so all you have to do is choose a service from the list below. Once you have an active subscription, download the VPN app onto your Windows PC (or manually connect the VPN to your gaming console via your Windows PC or router).
When you’ve downloaded the VPN, open up the app, and hit the connect button. Most VPNs offer a ‘quick connect’ button that connects you to the fastest server, which bodes well for Overwatch users.
With an active VPN, you can now launch Overwatch and overcome IP bans on the Blizzard game.
We’ve taken into account many different factors when it comes to VPNs for Overwatch. All of the services on the list below can change your IP address and help overcome Overwatch bans. Moreover, each VPN offers good connection speeds, advanced encryption to prevent DDoS attacks and may even help to lower ping. Find a VPN that suits your needs by checking out our top picks.
| Simultaneous connections / Users: | 6 |
|---|---|
| OS support: | Amazon Fire TV, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, Boxee Box, Chromecast, ChromeOS, FireOS, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Roku, Windows |
| Streaming: | Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, YouSee, DR TV, Disney+, Plex, Kodi, NBC, ESPN, BBC iPlayer, TV Player, HBO Go, HBO Max, Apple TV |
| Browser Extentions: | Firefox, Safari, Chrome |
Pros:
Fast connection
Zero-log policy
More than 5000 worldwide servers
Cons:
Few payment options
Split tunneling unavaible
6 Devices Maximum
Capabilities:
Unlimited Bandwidth
Kill Switch
Split Tunneling
Zero Data Logging
Free Version / Trial
Mobile App
Browser Extention
Netflix Approved
Firestick Compatible
NordVPN is an excellent gaming VPN that offers advanced privacy protection for Overwatch gamers. Better yet, it can effectively help overcome bans as you’ll be able to connect to one of the VPN’s 5,400 servers from around the world.
Thanks to its proprietary NordLynx protocol, NordVPN offers super-fast, reliable speeds. The WireGuard based protocol can reach eye-watering speeds, so you’ll never have to worry about buffering or high ping when gaming.
Like all of the best VPNs for Overwatch, NordVPN operates on AES-256 bit encryption to ensure your online activities remain completely secure and anonymous. This protects you from DDoS attacks and prevents bandwidth throttling from your ISP.
NordVPN’s Windows client is easy-to-use which bodes well if you play Overwatch on your PC. There is also the option to set up the VPN on your router to protect your gaming consoles; however, this may be a tricky process for VPN novices.
All NordVPN subscription plans come with a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee so you can test the VPN for Overwatch and request a full refund if you’re not entirely happy with the service provided.
| Simultaneous connections / Users: | Unlimited |
|---|---|
| OS support: | Amazon Fire TV, Android, Android TV, ChromeOS, iOS, Linux, macOS, Windows |
| Streaming: | |
| Browser Extentions: |
Pros:
Unlimited simultaneous connections
Unblocks streaming services
Based in privacy-friendly country
Cons:
No phone support
No 12 month plan
Few payment methods
Capabilities:
Unlimited Bandwidth
Kill Switch
Split Tunneling
Zero Data Logging
Free Version / Trial
Mobile App
Browser Extention
Netflix Approved
Firestick Compatible
If you’re looking for an affordable VPN to bypass Overwatch bans with, Surfshark is arguably the best option. Prices start at just under $2.50 a month, and you get unlimited simultaneous connections with all plans.
You can play Overwatch in complete privacy and hide your real IP address with Surfshark. There are over 3,200 servers to connect to with Surfshark, meaning there are countless IP addresses to choose from.
If you’re looking to get lower ping while playing Overwatch, a VPN like Surfshark may provide a solution. Surfshark’s advanced encryption will hide your gaming activity from your ISP, preventing throttling which can increase ping. Moreover, it can connect you to a nearby server with the ‘fastest server’ option, so you enjoy a smooth and reliable connection.
Surfshark delivers a wide range of easy-to-use apps for devices including Windows. There is also the option to set up Smart DNS on devices that don’t support VPN apps, such as gaming consoles like Xbox and PlayStation. However, Smart DNS only changes your location and doesn’t provide encryption.
| Simultaneous connections / Users: | 7 |
|---|---|
| OS support: | Amazon Fire TV, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, iOS, Linux, macOS, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Roku, Windows, Xbox 360 |
| Streaming: | |
| Browser Extentions: |
Pros:
Located in privacy-friendly Romania
Accepts Bitcoin as a payment option
NoSpy server network
Cons:
Limited Netflix unblocking capability
No phone support
Uses virtual servers
Capabilities:
Unlimited Bandwidth
Kill Switch
Split Tunneling
Zero Data Logging
Free Version / Trial
Mobile App
Browser Extention
Netflix Approved
Firestick Compatible
CyberGhost is another one of the best VPNs for playing Overwatch. There is support for PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and a host of other gaming consoles. The VPN provider also delivers one of the largest networks with more than 7,800 servers across 90 countries, meaning that you’ll always be able to bypass Overwatch IP bans, simply by connecting to one of the VPN servers.
With CyberGhost, military-grade encryption and protocols like OpenVPN, WireGuard, and IKEv2 will keep your data safe. There is a reliable integrated kill switch to ensure your private data is protected when you play Overwatch, even if the VPN connection drops for any reason.
Given that CyberGhost offers the WireGuard and IKEv2 protocols, connection speeds are excellent. This means that you can enjoy a reliable connection when playing Overwatch.
There are dedicated apps for Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux, and more and support for gaming consoles and other devices that don’t support VPN apps. On a single plan, you’ll get 7 simultaneous connections, which should be more than enough for most Overwatch players.
If you run into any issues while setting up or using the VPN for Overwatch, there’s 24/7 live chat support available, as well as a host of decent written guides on the website.
| Simultaneous connections / Users: | 5 |
|---|---|
| OS support: | Android, ChromeOS, iOS, Linux, macOS, Windows |
| Streaming: | |
| Browser Extentions: |
Pros:
Plenty of payment methods
24 hours live chat support
30 days money back guarantee
Cons:
More expensive than competitors
Only 5 simultaneous connections
No servers in Russia
Capabilities:
Unlimited Bandwidth
Kill Switch
Split Tunneling
Zero Data Logging
Free Version / Trial
Mobile App
Browser Extention
Netflix Approved
Firestick Compatible
ExpressVPN is one of the fastest on the market, making it an excellent choice for Overwatch gamers that want to prevent slow speeds while gaming. It also comes with advanced privacy features to hide your real IP so you can overcome Overwatch bans.
Not only does ExpressVPN hide your IP address, but it has private DNS on all servers; this makes it hard for Overwatch to detect your real virtual location. There are additional security features like a kill switch, which can stop your real IP from being exposed if the VPN drops.
When it comes to device support, there are ExpressVPN clients available for Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Linux. A native Wi-fi router app is useful for protecting devices that do not typically support a VPN connection, like gaming consoles. This makes ExpressVPN a good Overwatch VPN for Xbox fans.
ExpressVPN isn’t just a great option for Overwatch; it provides streaming support and can unblock countless foreign streaming libraries including Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.
Most of the time, players are banned from Overwatch for breaking Blizzard’s Code of Conduct. For example, if you excessively harass other players, cheat during gameplay, or use offensive language in your player name or BattleTags, you can receive a ban. Continuous breaking of these rules will result in your account being deleted.
However, if your IP address has been banned from an Overwatch server for trolling other players (which we don’t recommend you do), you can easily resolve this by connecting to a VPN server to change your IP address.
If you’re looking for an Overwatch VPN, we always recommend opting for a premium service from the list above. While free VPN services for Overwatch exist, there are many reasons to avoid them.
The best VPN services will offer complete protection and anonymity for your online data, access to geo-blocked sites and services, and much more. Free VPNs typically offer a lower standard of encryption, slower connection speeds, and data limits, things which aren’t suitable for gaming. Your data and IP address also won’t be effectively hidden meaning you may end up exposing your real IP address on Overwatch.
However, if you are insisted on using a free VPN for Overwatch to overcome a ban, we recommend checking out the free services below.
Yes, it is a good idea to use a VPN if you live stream Overwatch games on Twitch. This is because, a VPN hides your real IP address, making you less likely to be the victim of DDoS attacks or even swat attacks. Moreover, if your network is handling a lot of data at the same time (such as streaming and gaming), then a VPN will hide this from your network provider, ensuring that your connection is not throttled.
The Overwatch voice chat is an essential aspect of Overwatch Competitive Play, as it allows you to talk to other team members. Unfortunately, there are many countries where VoIP services are banned, and the Overwatch voice chat falls into this category.
For example, if you live in China, where many VoIP services are banned but Overwatch is not, you’ll need to use a VPN. This will enable you to connect to different servers and talk to fellow teammates during gameplay. All you need to do to unblock the Overwatch voice chat is connect to a VPN server where VoIP apps are allowed, such as the US. This will ensure that the voice chat option appears when you next play Overwatch.
High ping causes lag in game play, which greatly affects your in-game reactions. While VPNs are known for slightly increasing ping, you can also use them to lower it. You just need to know how!
There are a few things you can do to reduce ping in Overwatch. The first is to connect to the closest possible server for the best speeds; using the ‘Quick Connect’ option is a good way to find the best connection.
You can also change your VPN protocol since some are better than others when it comes to speed. For example, WireGuard and IKEv2 are well-known for providing reliable connection speeds, which is important for Overwatch. Moreover, using a VPN with private DNS on its servers (such as ExpressVPN and Surfshark) will slightly increase speeds.
There are other things you can do outside of the VPN to lower ping in Overwatch. Close all background apps, and ensure that other devices connected to your network are not consuming too much data.
Yes, you can play Overwatch with a VPN and notice your gameplay improve in many areas. It is extremely unlikely that you'll get banned for using a VPN when playing Overwatch.
Yes, a VPN changes your IP address and makes it harder for other players to crash you out of the game using DDoS attacks.
One of the best VPNs for Overwatch is NordVPN since it offers advanced protection from your ISP and other parties as well as providing users with extremely fast speeds.
Hi, I'm Cliff. I'm based in Cleveland, Ohio, with my wife and two kids.
I have a keen interest in cybersecurity and have been writing about it for around a decade now. Due to my background in computer science, I am familiar ...
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