Overwatch Chat Disabled After Bug

Developers of Overwatch have temporarily disabled the in game text chat after a serious bug began crashing matches.

The issue appeared on February 25, 2026, when players discovered that repeatedly typing a certain symbol in chat could break the match. If spammed enough, entire lobbies would crash and all players would be sent back to the main menu.

To stop the problem from spreading, Blizzard Entertainment quickly turned off text chat for everyone.

Cause Still Under Investigation

It is not yet clear why that specific character triggered crashes. Developers are currently looking into the problem and working on a fix.

Until the feature returns, players cannot send written messages to teammates. They also cannot see some information normally shown in chat, such as certain ping notifications.

Blizzard has not shared a timeline for when text chat might be restored.

Mixed Reactions From Players

Some players are frustrated because communication is now limited. Others are taking the situation lightly.

A few fans even joked that the game feels calmer without chat and suggested the change could stay. Still, players already had the option to disable chat on their own, so this temporary shutdown affects everyone.

First Major Bug in Recent Months

This is the first major technical issue reported since the game’s recent relaunch period, which brought many players back at the start of the 2026 season.

For now, the focus is on fixing the crash problem. Once a solution is ready, the chat feature is expected to return.