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All of the latest Mists of Pandaria newsBreakfast Topic: Real ID or Real bad IDea?
by Zach Yonzon 
Jul 7th 2010 at 8:00AM
Sure enough, when Patch 3.3.5 was implemented, I had a lot of fun hooking up with my real friends on other servers, and it was truly awesome to be able to chat with them even if we weren't on the same faction or even realm. Of course, after a while, it became clear that there was just no way to turn it off -- I always knew what my real friends were up to, from running dungeons to putting up auctions on an alt or griefing lowbies on a character previously unknown to me. This also meant it was impossible for me to jump onto a low-level alt on some low-population server for some mucking around without their knowing. Not that my friends were ever going to intrude or anything, but there just wasn't any real personal time with my Real ID status always being broadcast.
Yesterday, it got even stranger. Blizzard suddenly announced that the new forums would display everyone's real first and last names if they chose to post on them. For some reason, Mark Zuckerberg's idea of opt-in privacy is becoming the norm. The Facebook founder has said that when people share more, the world becomes more open and connected. It's a maverick notion, and people always have the option to keep mum on things, after all. In many ways, it works for social media. And there's the rub.
It has become apparent to me that Blizzard's big plan for Real ID is for it to become some form of social media, and Real ID statuses work in the same way as tweets or Facebook status messages. Blizzard defends its stance on yesterday's announcement by stating that removing anonymity from the forums will eliminate trolling. That argument definitely has merit, and Blizzard stresses that it's always the player's option to post, hearkening to Zuckerberg's argument that it's the user's option to "share," anyway. You don't have to if you don't want to.
It's definitely a bold direction on Blizzard's part, and it will shape their gaming environment for years to come. Whether it's a step in the right direction or not, only time will tell. What do you think? Real names aren't such a big deal, right? I mean, don't most folks have Facebook or (once upon a time) MySpace? This is just kind of like that, right? Or is it? Why don't we get an official tally and settle this like civilized people ...
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Blizzard, Account Security
Reader Comments (Page 7 of 27)
Ralod Jul 7th 2010 12:57PM
@Grimm And I am 31 and in the same exact field. And I can tell you right now that I have never hidden who I am, or what I do(Figureprint statue on my desk, shelf lined with plushes from square games, and a map of middle earth on the wall). And I have never had an issue finding a job. I think this is paranoia overblown to the extremes. I think most of you people are scared of the idea, and don;t really have any clue what the real world effects would be. This is over a a name, a name being shown on a forum you don't have to use. Don't you think things have been taken well out of hand my friend?
Bronwyn Jul 7th 2010 2:12PM
Just because there are other ways to get this information doesn't mean that Blizzard should make it easier.
Also, considering the stigma still attached to being a gamer, I don't think it's such a bad thing to not want to be outed as a gamer. That's an aspect of someone's personal life that should be revealed or kept private on a personal basis.
I can't help but think you come from a very privileged place if you think this information is something people should be OK with having out there. Most of us play WoW or game in general as an alternative to our stressful lives... as someone said somewhere else, this is in effect making it an extension of our lives rather than an escape, and it's really unfair of Blizzard to do this to us as customers who have placed trust in them with our information.
Arkhell Jul 7th 2010 8:19AM
only one thing to say really:
need more rage
Therosh Jul 7th 2010 8:21AM
There are over 1000 pages to the forum post regarding this issue. I've been on every single one of them, all night, and unless my bloodshot and aching eyes deceive me, the incredible, overwhelming majority is booing this new change as though they were revoking everyone's sliced bread. Except, moreso, with literally thousands of /tinfoilhats. Justified, scared, slightly logical tinfoilhats.
neofalcon54 Jul 7th 2010 8:20AM
The thing that has me most concerned is that we have a "boy who cried wolf" situation here. So many times throughout WoW Blizzard has announced something, QQing has ensued with people claiming they're going to quit the game, and then the change goes through and nothing happens.
But that's not the case this time. I, for one, am most definitely going to quit WoW if this goes through, and I get the feeling many other people will too. I just wonder whether Blizzard can tell these complaints apart from then endless QQ they've received in the past.
Anuillae Jul 7th 2010 8:23AM
I wont be quitting WoW. I will be quitting the official forums
Ralod Jul 7th 2010 8:26AM
Doubtful. As I said above, the vast, vast majority of players don't use the forum. And the rest of us who do don't really think it's that big of a deal and will actually make them much better. This won't affect the game in any real way.
However, at this point with the massive paranoid bitch fest I don't think it will happen.
Zhiva Jul 7th 2010 9:53AM
I canceled my account. I wrote in the reason field that reason for canceling is that Blizzard apparently does not care a whit about its customers. I also wrote that I'll consider resubscribing if real names on forums will not be implemented.
Tai Jul 7th 2010 10:50AM
I am thinking of quitting as well, and I've been playing for years. Playing this game is not worth jeopardizing the safety of my family. I also work in schools, and do not want to be located in game by scores of past or present students. I think is could be the wow-killer and I have to wonder if Blizzard asked any women about this when they decided to implement it, because I doubt it.
lemur Jul 7th 2010 2:42PM
I'm going on a trip for a month, didn't want to waste money, so I canceled my subscription until I get back. Now, I'm not so sure if I want to re-up.
Marcosius Jul 7th 2010 8:20AM
"It's always players option to post"
...Yeah, but what if I want to report a bug or ask help on technical problems? Well, I sure as hell can't do that anymore on the official forums.
crschmidt Jul 7th 2010 8:24AM
You can ask about technical problems via other means:
http://us.blizzard.com/support/index.xml?locale=en_US&gameId=11&rootCategoryId=2316
This is not as good, but in case this does actually come to pass, I thought you should be aware that there is at least theoretically other means of getting help.
Alex Gore Jul 7th 2010 8:50AM
@crschmidt
Yes, thank you. That is something else I keep pointing out to people who seem dead set on proving that, somehow, it is "mandatory" to use the forums. They are absolutely other means of contacting tech support outside the forums.
Khalior Jul 7th 2010 8:55AM
"...Yeah, but what if I want to report a bug or ask help on technical problems? Well, I sure as hell can't do that anymore on the official forums."
Why is that ?
crschmidt Jul 7th 2010 9:07AM
Alex: Note that in some cases, at least, Technical Support (via email) will ask you to post in a forum for tech gurus to look at. (Diagnostic information, linking to accounts, etc.) That's gotta change now.
Also, the response time for the email based support is (according to other comments here) closer to a week than the 12-24 hour turnaround on the forums.
I'm not going to pretend this is an ideal fix, but it's *an* aspect of the situation.
Glaras Jul 7th 2010 9:08AM
@crschmidt: You're seriously offering a "theoretical", "not as good" alternative method for getting technical support as a viable choice? I don't want some questionable, second-rate system for getting support, I want the method that Blizzard keeps telling us to use: the official tech support forum. And I've asked in the General Discussion thread that Blizz has mandated we use to ask about this change they've announced, but have received no reply. How are we supposed to "opt out" (a ridiculous, misleading and clearly incorrect use of the term) of exposing our real name on the forums, if we can't post in Customer Service, Tech Support, and Bug Report without "opting in"?
No answer from Blizz yet, but hopefully it'll be better than your suggestion.
Marcosius Jul 7th 2010 9:15AM
@ Khalior: Because I like my anonymity. Doubly so because my name is one of a kind in the world so I don't want people to see it unless I want them to see it. The most that I generally use the official forums at all is because of using the tech support forum there - and you know, most of the time a solution comes from other players rather than blizzard support team.
Alex Gore Jul 7th 2010 9:19AM
@crschmidt
It's still an incorrect argument though. Even if one accepts that it is somehow "worse" to do tech support via email or phone, it still points out that such things can be done without posting on the forum.
crschmidt Jul 7th 2010 9:51AM
Glaras: I am identifying an alternative means of receiving support. This is not meant as a means to discount the argument of the initial author, it is an additional datapoint for people who wish to continue playing the game and are concerned about how to contact technical support.
Ivan Bloggo Jul 7th 2010 8:30AM
Blizzard never felt it was wrong that High School kids names would be displayed in a forum indefinitely? Did they make sure all players are 18 or over and can consent to allowing their name to be displayed on a public forum for the world to see including potential colleges or future employers?