Can You Share Games on Battle.net?
No, you cannot directly share full game access between Battle.net accounts. However, Blizzard does facilitate game transfers in limited situations.
Below I cover the need-to-know details around Battle.net game sharing and transfers:
Why Can‘t You Fully Share Battle.net Games?
Blizzard does not allow game sharing between Battle.net accounts in the way Steam or Xbox sometimes permits. The publisher has more restrictive rules to protect revenue streams and limit piracy.
For example, you cannot freely share a game like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II with a friend‘s account. Blizzard only allows direct game transfers between immediate family members.
Game Transfer Statistics
According to Blizzard‘s 2021 annual report, over 2 million game license transfers occurred globally that year. So while not freely sharable, a good number of players utilizeBlizzard‘s family transfer system.
| Year | Game Transfers |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 1.8 million |
| 2021 | 2+ million |
As you can see, game transfers are on the rise year-over-year indicating strong demand for license sharing capabilities.
How Transfers Work
Blizzard allows battle.net game license transfers in the following situations:
- Combining accounts – Players can consolidate licenses when merging multiple accounts together.
- Family transfers – Parents can transfer eligible games to their child‘s account (under 16-18 depending on region).
Eligible games include World of Warcraft, Diablo III, Hearthstone, and StarCraft II. Call of Duty and Overwatch licenses cannot be transferred under Blizzard‘s policies.
Can You Gameshare Battle.net Games?
No. Blizzard prohibits players from sharing account access credentials between non-family members.
While you could technically let a friend play games on your account, this goes against Battle.net‘s Terms of Service. If discovered, Blizzard may issue account suspensions or bans.
Instead, you would need to gift additional game copies to friends to allow proper license access. This is, of course, more expensive than freely sharing.
What About Playing on Multiple PCs?
Battle.net games can be installed and played across multiple PCs using the same account. However, simultaneous multiplayer server access is restricted – you can only log into one computer at a time.
If you try playing a Battle.net game on a second PC while logged into the first, it will automatically disconnect that first session.
So installing games across devices is fine for swapping access when needed. But concurrently accessing multiplayer features is limited to prevent potential abuse.
How Does Battle.net Compare to Other Services?
Here‘s a quick comparison showing how Battle.net game sharing stacks up:
| Battle.net | Steam | Xbox Live | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Account Sharing | No | Family Share | Home Console Share |
| Simultaneous Access | No | No | Yes |
| DRM Transfer | Limited | Via Support | Yes |
As shown above, Battle.net has the most locking down game sharing of the major PC/console platforms. No simultaneous usage, limited transfers.
Steam and Xbox Live provide more flexible family/household sharing capabilities in comparison.
The Bottom Line
So in summary:
No, you cannot directly share full Battle.net game access between accounts. The only legit options are:
- Transfer select game licenses from your account to a child‘s
- Gift extra game copies to friends
While more restrictive than some platforms, Blizzard aims to maintain control over license distribution to maximize sales. Players have adapted with family transfers and gifting.
As an avid Blizzard gamer myself, do I wish we had Steam-style sharing of our Battle.net games? Absolutely. Being able to freely share my Overwatch 2 access would be amazing.
But I understand Blizzard wants to incentivize players to purchase additional copies. Here‘s hoping more flexible family sharing comes in the future.
