Blizzard Nixes Plans to Require Real Names

[AspiringPotato]

Yeah, we gamers really don't like it when someone tears down the basement curtains.

 

[Twilight_guy]

Pansies. This could have been a real experiment into the effects of removing anonymity and trying to stop the raging assholes who thrive on it and now we don't even get to see if it works or flops. Man up Blizzard.

An experiment that would result in massive disapproval ratings that could damage hard earned image campaigns. Millions could be lost in bad publicity. But don't get me wrong! I'm as disappointed as you. I've often wanted to see what happens online when anonymity is removed. Blizzard is just to big for the risk.

Maybe a smaller forum should do this and see what happens... I smell science!

 

[Baron Khaine]

I'm tired of acting scared of the internet and its 'ills'. I wanted to see the Real ID experiment carried out and see the results.

I'm not afraid of my own name.
My name is Scott Gillan and I approve this message.

Okay. I was really trying to stay calm about it, but im getting sick of seeing such ignorant responses like that one. So im sorry in advance.

Spoiler: Read at your own risk...

No one cares about your real name. Be happy about it. I suppose you are one of many proud white straight male's cruising the internet. You don't care that other's might not have such "luck", you are superior after all. You don't even realize through how much of abuse some people have to go through be it in real life on the internet just because of who they are. It's not your problem, isn't it?

There is plenty of cases of harassment, e-stalking, real life stalking, discrimination and ostracism on the World Wide Web. Loads of it in MMOs like WoW alone. There was a woman who met with someone online and got raped, she doesn't want that person to find her again. There is a 14 year old girl who was e-stalked by a emotionally unstable boy. Plenty of people were forced to change servers/character names to avoid being bullied by others. I, personally was harassed in WoW by a guy just because i am a female.

Im not even going to point out in detail all the stupidity gamer girls have to deal with in their internet lives because it would take too much time. Add to this people with ethnically different names (arabic for the most obvious example), or just with names your culture considers odd/silly sounding.
General chats in WoW are already full of sexist/racist "jokes". Being called a fag/gay/homo, jew or n****r is something that you can count on whenever someone disagrees with you.

So far average internet users prove that they are not at all mature enough to be presented with such information. Try again when it changes.

/ignore is your friend.

Anyone, and I mean anyone who gets bullied on the internet is an idiot. There are so many ways that you can just ignore that person, that if you change server over it, or character name, or faction, all your doing is attention seeking.

So go ahead, say you were "e-bullied", but for this guy to harass you, you'll have told him your a girl, even know the stigma (not really the right word but it'll do) that goes with being a girl on the internet. Its exactly the same as giving someone your phone number for them to turn out to be a psycho. Only, just like that you can ignore them, or have that number banned from calling you, or call the Police/GM's if they continue to harass you.

Making a huge deal out of e-bullying is nothing but attention seeking, because to people like you, any attention is good enough.

 

[Saerain]

It's a shame to see Blizzard not stick to their guns on this. I was just starting to like them.

Damn you, paranoids, Luddites, and /b/tards all.

I think I'll open the white pages, now, and scan all those magical 'real names' for my next victim. I'm thinking piano wire; it's been a while.

 

[Baron Khaine]

Fuck the Blizzard Forums. Honestly, that would've been a great idea. This decision practically supports John Gabriel's Greater Internet Fuckwad theory.

Lets put this in a hypothetical sence.

HYPOTHETICALLY, I am a famouse musician for a band most people on these forums have probably heard of. Now, I have no problem HYPOTHETICALLY addressing my hordes of adoring fans, but after a while it gets tiresome. When I log onto WoW, its to have fun. Not spend 6 hours wading through fan-mail and having people aggrivate me.

HYPOTHETICALLY, I just broke up with my CRAZY girlfriend, who knows I play WoW. Im not looking foward to the threats I'm going to recieve.

HYPOTHETICALLY, someone I hate plays the game; they can annoy me now.

HYPOTHETICALLY, I get in an arguement; you post my Name on an Internet forum and I get harassed.

I could go on... Some people want to be annonymous. Its the appeal of the internet; you can say whatever without backlash; for better or worse. Personally, I know people who play WoW that I dont wanna associate with, I WANT TO KEEP IT THAT WAY.

Moderaters decrease trolls; this just was SCREAMING Abuse in some way

Hypothetically you could choose not to bind any character to your forum name, therefore they wouldn't know what characters you played or anything, to them you'd just be a name, perhaps not even this "famous musician", just someone with the same name.
Hypothetically this one doesn't even make sense.
Hypothetically see point 1.
Hypothetically see point 1.

Remove hypothetically for whatever the term is for something thats real in fancy talk.

 

[Saerain]

I agree, but 'hypothetically' is fancy?

 

[The Rogue Wolf]

do the article anyway, just speak hypothetically as if they DID go ahead with this hamfisted and exploitative betrayal of their fan's privacy and safety.

I assume you were arguing in FAVOUR of something that Blizzard ultimately decided was a bad idea?

Maybe instead you should consider why you continued to defend it while the actual instigators abandoned it?

What's that little quote about assumptions again?

ASSUMING makes an ASS out of U and some guy named MING?

I would've liked to have seen that article as well, John. Then again, I would've liked to see a response to my post to you in Andy Chalk's thread, too, but hey, I know you get a lot of people talking to/at you and can't cover everyone.

 

[duckfi8]

im still shocked blizzard actually listens to people, there are game companies that do listen to it's players unlike that other company *cough cough* Infinity Ward *cough*

 

[Saerain]

Perfect example of the Web 2.0 experience. I am glad they came to their senses. I feel sorry for all the articles out there.

wtf is web 2.0? Like, the stage in which the internet began getting filled with trolling instead of a research tool/free porno stash?

It's when people stop getting histrionic about thems mysterious magic innerwebs; when they accept that their masks are useless, pathetic, and degrading; when they can play an online game without treating it like a back alley drug deal; when they accept that it's quite douchebaggy to hide information from employers who might not hire you if they knew that thing you're hiding; when they have an epiphany that hey, free and accurate data is always good and your 'privacy' is a stupid, primitive hangup and you ought to get over yourself, just like the people who would have a problem with whatever you're so anxiously keeping private.

These sorts of things.

Also, it has lots of spider bots hyperlinks.

 

[Nazulu]

I'm tired of acting scared of the internet and its 'ills'. I wanted to see the Real ID experiment carried out and see the results.

I'm not afraid of my own name.
My name is Scott Gillan and I approve this message.

Okay. I was really trying to stay calm about it, but im getting sick of seeing such ignorant responses like that one. So im sorry in advance.

Spoiler: Read at your own risk...

No one cares about your real name. Be happy about it. I suppose you are one of many proud white straight male's cruising the internet. You don't care that other's might not have such "luck", you are superior after all. You don't even realize through how much of abuse some people have to go through be it in real life on the internet just because of who they are. It's not your problem, isn't it?

There is plenty of cases of harassment, e-stalking, real life stalking, discrimination and ostracism on the World Wide Web. Loads of it in MMOs like WoW alone. There was a woman who met with someone online and got raped, she doesn't want that person to find her again. There is a 14 year old girl who was e-stalked by a emotionally unstable boy. Plenty of people were forced to change servers/character names to avoid being bullied by others. I, personally was harassed in WoW by a guy just because i am a female.

Im not even going to point out in detail all the stupidity gamer girls have to deal with in their internet lives because it would take too much time. Add to this people with ethnically different names (arabic for the most obvious example), or just with names your culture considers odd/silly sounding.
General chats in WoW are already full of sexist/racist "jokes". Being called a fag/gay/homo, jew or n****r is something that you can count on whenever someone disagrees with you.

So far average internet users prove that they are not at all mature enough to be presented with such information. Try again when it changes.

/ignore is your friend.

Anyone, and I mean anyone who gets bullied on the internet is an idiot. There are so many ways that you can just ignore that person, that if you change server over it, or character name, or faction, all your doing is attention seeking.

So go ahead, say you were "e-bullied", but for this guy to harass you, you'll have told him your a girl, even know the stigma (not really the right word but it'll do) that goes with being a girl on the internet. Its exactly the same as giving someone your phone number for them to turn out to be a psycho. Only, just like that you can ignore them, or have that number banned from calling you, or call the Police/GM's if they continue to harass you.

Making a huge deal out of e-bullying is nothing but attention seeking, because to people like you, any attention is good enough.

WOW I don't think you should give out advise anymore because that post alone makes you a bully and a troll in my book. You basically just started by abusing, ended by assuming and showed us that you have yet to go through effort of calling the police for help.

I'm not even gonna bother with you, this is the perfect time to use the report button.

 

[Royas]

I'm a bit surprised that Blizzard actually backed off from this for the time being. I was really expecting them to pretty much ignore the complaints and go ahead full steam. I'm very pleased to be wrong. Compulsory RealID was a bad idea from the get-go, it shouldn't have even seen the light of day as a suggestion.

 

[Eric the Orange]

Wow this is the first time I've heard a developer change plans based on fan feedback.

 

[Keava]

/ignore is your friend.

Anyone, and I mean anyone who gets bullied on the internet is an idiot. There are so many ways that you can just ignore that person, that if you change server over it, or character name, or faction, all your doing is attention seeking.

So go ahead, say you were "e-bullied", but for this guy to harass you, you'll have told him your a girl, even know the stigma (not really the right word but it'll do) that goes with being a girl on the internet. Its exactly the same as giving someone your phone number for them to turn out to be a psycho. Only, just like that you can ignore them, or have that number banned from calling you, or call the Police/GM's if they continue to harass you.

Making a huge deal out of e-bullying is nothing but attention seeking, because to people like you, any attention is good enough.

Now aren't you a smart one. See, that is exactly the example of behavior people who were against the RealID on forums wanted to avoid having to deal with.

1. Ignore one character, another alt comes to harass you, even if you report right away it will take GMs at least 1-2 days to resolve the issue, because they have to verify your claims by reading all your chat logs saved on their servers. And when you have your real name right there on forums, what stops him from taking revenge after he got banned or taking his stalking mentality step further into the real life? Not to mention that there are times GMs will do nothing, he will use another account, or his friends will carry on his legacy.

2. Police? How funny. We don't all live in the amazing United States of America. What would you tell them? "Ididurmum" you don't even know where from is harassing you? They will nod politely and ignore it, because there is so little they can really do. In my silly country they still have sometimes trouble with grasping the concept of actual rape, internet harassment would probably just prove to be beyond their abilities.

3. I didn't told him my gender. Someone did not even realizing it. I was less careful 5 years ago, sure it is my fault. But with RealID i wouldn't have to, and he would have my name to boot. Im not even going to go into deep discussion as to why i should not be denied ability to play a game openly as a female because that is overall internet and society issue, not just with Blizzard games. Plenty of sites and blogs on that matter already.

4. If i was attention seeking, i think i could do much better. Like, don't know. Maybe using my real name to get fame? Or posting my picture? Or using "sweetheart" when addressing you? I don't really know, maybe you could teach me, obviously you seem to know much more about it.
It is hardly about me. I don't even play the game anymore for over a year. My friends do however, and 11 million of other people. Pardon moi the deviation i got from my job to take part in discussions somehow relevant to much wider social group, mea culpa.

But then again you are probably just trolling. I hope so. If not, than indeed ignorance is bliss.

 

[Uber Waddles]

Perfect example of the Web 2.0 experience. I am glad they came to their senses. I feel sorry for all the articles out there.

wtf is web 2.0? Like, the stage in which the internet began getting filled with trolling instead of a research tool/free porno stash?

It's when people stop getting histrionic about thems mysterious magic innerwebs; when they accept that their masks are useless, pathetic, and degrading; when they can play an online game without treating it like a back alley drug deal; when they accept that it's quite douchebaggy to hide information from employers who might not hire you if they knew that thing you're hiding; when they have an epiphany that hey, free and accurate data is always good and your 'privacy' is a stupid, primitive hangup and you ought to get over yourself, just like the people who would have a problem with whatever you're so anxiously keeping private.

These sorts of things.

Also, it has lots of spider bots hyperlinks.

Sounds like a good idea, but like Communism, just doesnt work.

There are people out there who, for whatever reason, want their privacy. Be it they are famous, dont want to be disturbed, or whatever reason they so wish. The internet is a place where you can post things annonymously without back-lash; thats a HUGE appeal. Its countered by the fact that anyone can say anything (Lincoln was a robot). If you limit the internet by making people remove their mask, your restricting that right. Even novelists post incognito sometimes. While it sounds like a good idea to make everyone not-annonymous, there are lunatics out there. Search past articles, people have gotten STABBED over Counter-Strike. You dont think people would stab others over Politics? Religion? Lucky Charms v. Captain Crunch? I can see it happening. Why make it easier?

 

[Keava]

wtf is web 2.0? Like, the stage in which the internet began getting filled with trolling instead of a research tool/free porno stash?

It's a term describing the interactive content of inetrnet. Web 1.0 was when you only could read sites that someone made, web 2.0 is when it is you as user creating the websites content. All blogs, social networks, wikis, anything where the interaction between users is the primary content.

So yeah, in short is the stage at which internet became the home of trolls.

 

[Cody211282]

Yeah, we gamers really don't like it when someone tears down the basement curtains.

even more so when the person doing it will be sending me pizza all night and calling me 24/7.

 

[warmonkey]

Really, guys? Really? You need my real name to be able to do that? How many years have things like Steam and all sorts of other services allowed us to do all of those things with just an account name? You don't need a "real" ID, just one unique account ID that links the rest together, which can be anything from a number to a made up name to your real name. Stop making up excuses for crap.

Ding ding ding. Winner, you, is one.
My online friends don't need to know my name. Maybe I don't mind telling it to them, but ultimately that should be my *CHOICE*. There's simply absolutely no reason for all of this.. the RealID friend system is no different. Why? What motivation does Blizzard have to reveal everyone's real names to their friends? I just don't get why they think that's necessary. To find real-life friends who are also gaming? I think I'm perfectly capable of talking to people I already know in real life and asking them if they're playing Such-and-Such game. I'm not such a shut-in that I can't handle that, thanks.

And hey! Maybe I don't WANT those people to know who I am in game; maybe I'd like to discuss some game I and a real life friend both play but without ever having to tell them that I just don't feel like playing that game with them. Whoops, now ya can't? What the hell is that?

I just really don't see any actual, real, non-imaginary up side to RealID. Not just the forum part, but the friends list part. It makes no sense, *EVEN* from a marketing point of view; Blizzard's already got your name, how can them letting other people in on that info possibly make them any more money? WTF?

 

[GodKlown]

I sort of understand their point about wanting to connect to friends and family that play the game, but isn't that what social networking was for? Throwing your real name on a forum somewhere doesn't always mean you are the person someone is thinking of. I've run across this problem a few times in my travels through the social sphere, especially on Facebook where I'm required to show my real name. I've had messages from a few different states, people asking who I am based on my name. It gets annoying, especially when I had a picture of my actual face on there and people still had to ask if I was who they thought I was... which only leads me to believe there are a few guys cursed with my name that are ugly bastards just like me.

I like The Singularity's idea of making players post using their master account name so you can just then put the losers on ignore no matter which stupid ID they try to hide behind in-game.

Besides, if you have a friend/family member who plays WoW, don't they occasionally let it slip? The RealID system seemed about six years too late to really be effective. Or else you have dumbasses like this that make themselves publicly known:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUOI7BTmmk0

watch and enjoy!