Xbox One Won't Allow Real-Name Gamertags at Launch

[Josh Engen]

Xbox One Won't Allow Real-Name Gamertags at Launch

Microsoft has postponed the implementation of its revamped Gamertag system.

Back in May, when Microsoft unveiled the Xbox One, the developer started talking about some significant changes to its Xbox LIVE service. In fact, one feature in particular has the potential to drastically change the way that gamers interact with one another: real-name Gamertags. However, today Microsoft has revealed that Xbox LIVE users will be maintaining their anonymity, at least for the foreseeable future.

In a conversation with Kotaku [<a href-], a Microsoft representative explained that the feature is an important part of the company's plan, but it won't be available at launch. "While real identities continue to be part of our plans for the experience on Xbox One," he said, "at launch, customers will continue to search for friends using their Gamertags."

According to Microsoft, the feature is still in development, and there just isn't time to complete the software before the Xbox One's November launch. "Our teams are working hard to deliver a quality experience for Xbox One," he said. "This means prioritizing some features and sometimes postponing others for a later update."

Real-name Gamertags have been a semi-controversial topic for much of the gaming community. The anonymity that standard tags provide often gives license to some pretty disgusting behavior. However, handing out your real name to a crowd of temperamental gamers doesn't exactly sound appealing either.

Hopefully this delay means that Microsoft is attempting to find an attractive balance between anonymity and overexposure.

Source: Kotaku

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[Legion]

So... what is available at launch?

An exaggeration, yes, but almost all of the news I hear about for the Xbox One seems to be about planned features or similar, that are no longer available when it comes out. I am willing to bet that if the PS4 wasn't out next month they'd have delayed the release, but weren't willing to let Sony get a head start.

 

[JenSeven]

Oh that's just great.
My last name is unbelievably rare. If I were to use it online people could find me with ease, and everything about me.
Yeah, not happening.

Not that I'm doing anything bad, or whatever, I'm just uncomfortable with it.

 

[Pebkio]

I don't even have a real name anymore. I just have a bunch of fake ones. But I know that this sucks. Didn't someone else try this crap and get their asses handed to them by people who learned of their names? What was the company? Blizzard? I can't remember which one did it... but it didn't go very well.

 

[an annoyed writer]

Tan-fucking-fastic. The fact that my current gamertag was signed up under my mother's name is particularly distressing, since we're kind of not on speaking terms at the moment. And what about when people are going through legal name changes? Then what?

 

[krazykidd]

So... what is available at launch?

An exaggeration, yes, but almost all of the news I hear about for the Xbox One seems to be about planned features or similar, that are no longer available when it comes out. I am willing to bet that if the PS4 wasn't out next month they'd have delayed the release, but weren't willing to let Sony get a head start.

I was going to ask this . Can anyone give me an updated list of what people will get? Because from where i'm sitting it's not much .

 

[Dr.Awkward]

I think it would be funnier for them to require putting in your real name as part of your profile. Sure, there will be dissenters, but let's see if people will still act like fuckwads when they can't be as anonymous as they were before.

 

[luckshot]

Tan-fucking-fastic. The fact that my current gamertag was signed up under my mother's name us particularly distressing, since we're kind of not on speaking terms at the moment. And what about when people are going through legal name changes? Then what?

"utter nonsense, people that dont want to reveal their full names to random strangers, than they can buy a comodore 64!"

/microsoft thought process

but yeah they really just continue to paint themselves into corners continually

 

[Ghostdraconi]

Tan-fucking-fastic. The fact that my current gamertag was signed up under my mother's name us particularly distressing, since we're kind of not on speaking terms at the moment. And what about when people are going through legal name changes? Then what?

"utter nonsense, people that dont want to reveal their full names to random strangers, than they can buy a comodore 64!"

/microsoft thought process

but yeah they really just continue to paint themselves into corners continually

Did any of you read the article?

 

[an annoyed writer]

Tan-fucking-fastic. The fact that my current gamertag was signed up under my mother's name us particularly distressing, since we're kind of not on speaking terms at the moment. And what about when people are going through legal name changes? Then what?

"utter nonsense, people that dont want to reveal their full names to random strangers, than they can buy a comodore 64!"

/microsoft thought process

but yeah they really just continue to paint themselves into corners continually

Did any of you read the article?

Did you? If the article says correctly, the feature is delayed, not permanently removed. There's still reason to worry.

 

[RicoADF]

Use my real name for xbox live? Hahahaha yeah right, theres no way I'd put that sort of info onto a system full of so much filth. I'm glad I've got a PS4 ordered and canceled my XBO order.

 

[luckshot]

Tan-fucking-fastic. The fact that my current gamertag was signed up under my mother's name us particularly distressing, since we're kind of not on speaking terms at the moment. And what about when people are going through legal name changes? Then what?

"utter nonsense, people that dont want to reveal their full names to random strangers, than they can buy a comodore 64!"

/microsoft thought process

but yeah they really just continue to paint themselves into corners continually

Did any of you read the article?

Did you? If the article says correctly, the feature is delayed, not permanently removed. There's still reason to worry.

i was more referring to their recent habit of proudly puffing out their chests while announcing features no one wants or needs and then trying to find an escape from it

 

[CardinalPiggles]

What the hell was wrong with the old gamertag system?

If people wanna use an alias, let them.

If people wanna use their real names (for whatever reason), let them.

'Xbox One: A series of tubes' is what they should rename it too, because it just seems like a mess of regulation and restriction from where I'm sitting.

 

[Yuuki]

I don't even have a real name anymore. I just have a bunch of fake ones. But I know that this sucks. Didn't someone else try this crap and get their asses handed to them by people who learned of their names? What was the company? Blizzard? I can't remember which one did it... but it didn't go very well.

Yep it was Blizzard, although they ended up making it completely optional as a BattleNet feature (visibility of friends across WoW, Starcraft and Diablo).
When they had initially announced that it would be forced on everyone, the reaction in forums was so explosive...it was unlike anything I've ever seen on any forums ever (till date). Something like 1000+ pages of angry replies to the primary thread and countless other off-threads, all within a span of just a few days...

Confirmed Xbone launch features:

- Has mass

Phew

 

[CriticalMiss]

So... what is available at launch?

Confirmed Xbone launch features:

- Kinect voice recognition*
- Skype integration
- Uses electricity**
- Has mass

* English only, regional accents not be compatible
** Continental USA only (excluding Iowa)

For the realie-ohs, it's like everything they mentioned during the reveal actually isn't part of the console except the TV stuff. Give it a week and they will announce that the controller won't be available at launch so everyone has to use the Kinect instead. Except the Kinect doesn't recognise voices or motions, those will be added at a later date. Oh and Xbox Live won't be accessible at launch, just FYI. In fact we're not 100% on whether it actually exists any more. Sorry.

 

[Canadamus Prime]

You know there was a time when a product wouldn't be released until all the features were ready to go. Whatever happened to that?

 

[Zeren]

This is the first time I have heard of real name gamer tags. One more reason to avoid the Xbone.

 

[Jesse Billingsley]

"While real identities continue to be part of our plans for the experience on Xbox One,"

"Our teams are working hard to deliver a quality experience for Xbox One,"

It seems that when ever there is a xbox one article, Microsoft keeps bringing up this 'expereience...'

Well I will not be 'experiencing' your crappy console, Microsoft. I would rather keep my anonymity under the clever disguise of a rather delicious Kellogg's pastry and retain my individuality. Not that you guys would know anything about that you lifeless, corporate drones..