Update - Added a clarification, your real name will not show up on old forum posts. It will only be displayed on the new forum system.

Oh and since a few people asked, now, I have absolutely no plan to do that on MMO-Champion forums. (And that's not sarcasm, I really don't like the idea of real names on a gaming forum)

Battle.net Update: Upcoming Changes to the Forums
Your real name will be displayed on the official forums now. You'd better think twice before you troll a bunch of angry ... trolls.
[blizzquote author=Nethaera source=http://blue.mmo-champion.com/t/25712374700/battle-net-update-upcoming-changes-to-forums/]Recently, we introduced our new Real ID feature - www.battle.net/realid/ , a new way to stay connected with your friends on the new Battle.net. Today, we wanted to give you a heads up about our plans for Real ID on our official forums, discuss the design philosophy behind the changes we’re making, and give you a first look at some of the new features we’re adding to the forums to help improve the quality of conversations and make the forums an even more enjoyable place for players to visit.

The first and most significant change is that in the near future, anyone posting or replying to a post on official Blizzard forums will be doing so using their Real ID -- that is, their real-life first and last name -- with the option to also display the name of their primary in-game character alongside it. These changes will go into effect on all StarCraft II forums with the launch of the new community site prior to the July 27 release of the game, with the World of Warcraft site and forums following suit near the launch of Cataclysm. Certain classic forums, including the classic Battle.net forums, will remain unchanged.

The official forums have always been a great place to discuss the latest info on our games, offer ideas and suggestions, and share experiences with other players -- however, the forums have also earned a reputation as a place where flame wars, trolling, and other unpleasantness run wild. Removing the veil of anonymity typical to online dialogue will contribute to a more positive forum environment, promote constructive conversations, and connect the Blizzard community in ways they haven’t been connected before. With this change, you’ll see blue posters (i.e. Blizzard employees) posting by their real first and last names on our forums as well.

We also plan to add a number of other features designed to make reading the forums more enjoyable and to empower players with tools to improve the quality of forum discussions. Players will have the ability to rate up or rate down posts so that great topics and replies stand out from the not-so-great; low-rated posts will appear dimmer to show that the community feels that they don’t contribute effectively to the conversation, and Blizzard’s community team will be able to quickly and easily locate highly rated posts to participate in or to highlight discussions that players find worthwhile.

In addition, individual topics will be threaded by context, meaning replies to specific posts will be grouped together, making it easier for players to keep track of multiple conversations within a thread. We’re also adding a way for Blizzard posters to “broadcast” important messages forums-wide , to help communicate breaking news to the community in a clear and timely fashion. Beyond that, we’re improving our forum search function to make locating interesting topics easier and help lower the number of redundant threads, and we have more planned as well.

With the launch of the new Battle.net, it’s important to us to create a new and different kind of online gaming environment -- one that’s highly social, and which provides an ideal place for gamers to form long-lasting, meaningful relationships. All of our design decisions surrounding Real ID -- including these forum changes -- have been made with this goal in mind.

We’ve given a great deal of consideration to the design of Real ID as a company, as gamers, and as enthusiastic users of the various online-gaming, communication, and social-networking services that have become available in recent years. As these services have become more and more popular, gamers have become part of an increasingly connected and intimate global community – friendships are much more easily forged across long distances, and at conventions like PAX or our own BlizzCon, we’ve seen first-hand how gamers who may have never actually met in person have formed meaningful real-life relationships across borders and oceans. As the way gamers interact with one another continues to evolve, our goal is to ensure Battle.net is equipped to handle the ever-changing social-gaming experience for years to come.

For more info on Real ID, check out our Real ID page and FAQ located at http://www.battle.net/realid/ . We look forward to answering your questions about these upcoming forum changes in the thread below. [/blizzquote]
[blizzquote author=Bashiok source=http://blue.mmo-champion.com/t/25712374700/battle-net-update-upcoming-changes-to-forums/]One important point which I don't believe has been relayed yet is that the switch to showing RealID on the forums will only happen with the new forum systems we're launching for StarCraft II shortly before its release, and a new forum system for World of Warcraft launching shortly before the release of Cataclysm.

All posts here on the current World of Warcraft forums, or any of our classic Battle.net forums, will remain as-is. They won't (and can't) automatically switch to showing a real first and last name.

All posts in the future on the new forum systems will be an opt-in choice and ample warning will be given that you're posting with your real first and last name. [/blizzquote]
This article was originally published in forum thread: Battle.net Update: Upcoming Changes to the Forums started by Boubouille View original post
Comments 2071 Comments
  1. skow's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Blutelf View Post
    ^

    1) You have no idea how mentally deranged think. Do not try to estimate danger to other people based on your misconceptions.

    2) Idiotic. Tax records, property records, criminal databases, newspaper articles, school projects, university - all of these can contain your information without you having put it online. Now your WoW char will link anyone who cares to all of this data.

    3) How exactly does that make people accountable for their actions? YOU MEAN PEOPLE WILL STALK THEM IN REAL LIFE? OR PHONE THEIR PLACE OF WORK? Just think what you're saying there. You are literally denying the fact that sharing your name online is a problem while confirming it in the same breath.
    1) No I actually have a pretty decent grasp on how the mentally deranged think. I happen to be a fourth year psych student in college after all. I also understand that among the very few people that most people will aggravate enough to bother them IRL it is unlikely any of them will be mentally deranged. It is a relatively rare state of mind (keep in mind I am over simplifying what you are referring to as mentally deranged as that in reality that term covers a number of possible conditions each with very different symptoms). I make a lot of people angry with me because well I am a turd, and even I can't think of more than a dozen in three years that would have cared to actually mess with me.
    2) For half of those things (criminal database and newspaper articles) you really can just write off. Most people will only be featured in the newspaper maybe once in their whole lives (back to the initial problem with people not being as famous as they think they are) and as for criminal records . . . not as many people as you think have criminal records and play WoW. The others require money or quite a bit of effort to access (criminal records do too). Really if you have a facebook page that is how they probably are going to find most of the info about you anyway, and my private war against facebook is another matter.
    3)I don't actually think yours has anything to do with my number 3 but instead the bottom paragraph of my post. And no, not to that extent. But if someone ninjas something from me in a group, 10 years down the road yeah I would like to be able to say "nah I am not going to group with Mr. Smith, he was a scumbag in WoW" even if we aren't playing the same game.

    Edit: for number 2 instead of the word access I should have used the word I meant which was "utilize".
  1. Lesigh's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by VeeVee View Post
    Nearly 30 more pages of posts and yet not a single person has threatened my way of life in any way, shape or form.

    Anyone? I'm giving out MORE info than RealID does. Surely you can do some damage.
    So, having just seen your post, I actually found your phone number, e-mail and your facebook in about 1.5 minutes? Also it appears you no longer live in Brisbane, as you said, but instead in Indooroopilly (which I honestly thought was a fake city, but checks out.) Pretty neat huh? I don't actually want to send you threatening messages from my e-mail or call you because, well, then you'd have some of MY personal info.

    P.S. I'm afraid you're not hot enough to make your dreams of being a porn star come true.
  1. Genteel's Avatar
    Hello mmo-champ.

    I have enjoyed your site as a visitor many times, but now I'm here to make a forum home for myself (as I am sure have many other Blizzard forum refugees).

    I hope to become a productive member of your community.
  1. Undeadprotoss's Avatar
    No.......NO!
  1. Skitskraj's Avatar
    Man, I can't wait 'til my account is hacked, someone goes to the forum and write something extremely provocative with my name and I later pay the consequences irl. Just a matter of time until something similar is on the news.

    ---------- Post added 2010-07-08 at 04:30 PM ----------

    Man, I can't wait 'til my account is hacked, someone goes to the forum and write something extremely provocative with my name and I later pay the consequences irl. Just a matter of time until something similar is on the news.
  1. Frostea23's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Endus View Post
    Posting a comment using your real name is illegal? Quick, someone call EVERY NEWSPAPER IN THE COUNTRY and tell them to stop printing Letters to the Editor.

    You're flat-out wrong, here. A company tagging your posts with your name is entirely normal and legitimate. It's the idea of anonymity that's new and without support, legally.

    If you signed up with WoW using your original name, rather than your new one, and you're still using that account, you're a moron who didn't listen to his handlers.

    Also, in witness protection, your new name IS a legal name. That's part of the process. Hell, in some places, all it takes for a name to be a legal alias is for you to use it and state it as such on your tax files.

    Either way, the name on your Real ID should be the new name you're currently living under. If it wouldn't be, you didn't follow instructions and your risk is entirely your own fault for failing to do so. It sucks, yes, but your response should be to get a new account, not to want them to keep the thin curtain on the glaring security flaw you've left in your identity change.
    The amount of crying on this thread it ridiculous. Endus is right, you have ZERO LEGAL RIGHT to your name. Blizzard gives you an out: if you don't want people to know your name do not post on their forums. There are so many "rights" that people think exist because the anonymity of internet has graciously offered it to them.

    So, keep on crying on these forums. Just please, grow up, and stop making up shit like: blizzard doesn't have a legal right to do this etc. If you care so much and think you have a "legal right" to your name, I dare you to sue Blizzard entertainment, 100% chance you will LOSE, but since none of you seem to be willing to do that, I guess you'll just cry about it on the forums once again instead of actually doing something about your convictions in the real world.

    If you are really worried about it, I recommend you try to push for legislation in your state governments that protects your nominal identity online. Then you'll have a legal standing.
  1. Frozenbeef's Avatar
    seriously...why cant i see past 50 pages >.<
  1. Malikoi's Avatar
    I do not have an active WoW account at this time and I never post on these forums but I felt on this topic I had to write something somewhere to express my opinion.

    A person doesn't have to forum grief in order to create enemies in WoW. When I was an officer of a guild there were a few people that we had to discipline and/or kick from the guild due to their actions. A couple of those individuals took this very personally and did everything in their power to attack the officers. Thankfully, their knowledge of who we were was limited to in-game information. Had those people known our true names I have little doubt they would have tried to cause problems IRL.

    It doesn't take a rocket scientist to Google a person's name and find their facebook account, hiring websites, etc.

    Blizz's response is, "you don't have to use the message board". This is a fair statement; however, there are times when players need a quick response to an issue. There are also players that use the WoW forums to convey useful information to the community.

    I understand what Blizzard is trying to achieve but I don't think real names are the correct solution. Better moderation, unique ID's that are not real names, stricter forum bans, etc. will achieve the same or better results.
  1. Kankuri's Avatar
    Its great to know that having a unique name like mine can possibly fuck my chances of getting a good job.

    By the way, I'm fairly certain this is illegal, and its only a matter of time before someone will fight back.
  1. skow's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Malikoi View Post
    A person doesn't have to forum grief in order to create enemies in WoW. When I was an officer of a guild there were a few people that we had to discipline and/or kick from the guild due to their actions. A couple of those individuals took this very personally and did everything in their power to attack the officers. Thankfully, their knowledge of who we were was limited to in-game information. Had those people known our true names I have little doubt they would have tried to cause problems IRL.
    Maybe, maybe not. Same basic principle as firing someone at work. 99 times out of a 100 they will just mosey on, but that one time is the time your car catches on fire while they pee on it. Once again though, you have a choice if you are really really concerned about that sort of thing. I will admit that some people have it rough when it comes to having people locate them almost instantly based on their name, but for most of the others there is more misinformation on the interweb than information.

    Take me for example, I did the whole google thing with my name and since I knew what I was looking for I was able to find former places I have lived and that was about it. Now you also have to keep in mind that there are dozens of people with my first and last name, so if I hadn't been knowing what to look for (middle initial, ect) then chances are I would have had to go to each one of those people (some are deceased and still marked as alive) and research them to find out which one was the right one. Now if I had a facebook (something I will never have) it would be a lot easier, then it would be the one that says I play world of warcraft.

    I just think it is hilarious all of these people who are worried about their privacy and at the same time they have a facebook page with their pictures, interests, and constant updates on their status. So you want to share your life with the internet, but you don't want blizzard to provide almost trivial information in comparison. I think I much rather someone know my name then know my day to day thoughts on the consistancy of cheese.
  1. Noetic Concordance's Avatar
    oh noes the islamz will find us the sky is falling in
  1. Supersomething's Avatar
    There is nothing illegal about what Blizzard is doing at them moment. That does not however, make it right what they are doing. Ideally this is about the principle of the thing, and the ideals this company that we all know used to hold. They blatantly lied to their community in telling this this was about combating trolls, when in fact its just a means to integrate their game with Facebook. I also seem to remember them stating that RealID would be used for friends only. I am sure that other posters will come in and inform us of other lines of b.s. Blizzard has been feeding us this past year, but those are at least two that I can recall.

    But do keep in mind that for the present, none of this illegal since they are still giving you the consumer the choice of opting in or out. They are walking a very fine line, but so far everything they are doing is legal.
  1. superbattler's Avatar
    i'm thinking all the non-blizzard forums will likely become more popular due to this...
  1. vendelin's Avatar
    Only about 600 to get on top of the "most comments on a news post"-list Number one is celestial steed!

    ontopic: well, I wonder whether this spells good or bad for mmo-champ. Too many people joining is not super good either. :/
  1. Battlegrounds's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by skow View Post
    1) No I actually have a pretty decent grasp on how the mentally deranged think. I happen to be a fourth year psych student in college after all. I also understand that among the very few people that most people will aggravate enough to bother them IRL it is unlikely any of them will be mentally deranged. It is a relatively rare state of mind (keep in mind I am over simplifying what you are referring to as mentally deranged as that in reality that term covers a number of possible conditions each with very different symptoms). I make a lot of people angry with me because well I am a turd, and even I can't think of more than a dozen in three years that would have cared to actually mess with me.
    1) You do not have to be famous to be stalked. Of the ~5.8 million U.S. citizens that were stalked in 2009, not all of them were famous. (source: U.S. Department of Justice)
    2) You do not need to be mentally deranged to stalk someone.
    3) Gamers are not immune to stalkers.
    4) Gamers can be stalkers.
    5) skow's personal experience is skow's personal experience, and does not represent the experiences of the World of Warcraft community.
    6) If your education has taught you 1-5 is false, then you're wasting time in school. You'll never be able to help anyone. Drop out now, and save your potential patients the indignity of your failed education.

    ---------- Post added 2010-07-08 at 05:45 PM ----------

    Got in touch with my ex-flatmate, whose sister works as a GM for Blizzard
  1. Rokee's Avatar
    It will not only kill trolling. I think it will kill off the entire forum including the nice people who wrote guides and tips for all of us.

    I post on the forums 1-2 times a year and I hate this idea.

    And again: I don't think Blizzard would have never even considered such a thing without the influence of Activision behind them.
  1. Terraxia's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Asheli View Post
    The ones who don't like this idea like to flame others and start heated discussions and just generally insult people. There are good and bad things about this, clearly. But i believe it will tone down all the negativity that's floating around the wow-europe.com-forums
    Because all positive message boards are so popular and fun to read and doesnt sound like a corporate commercial site at all right?
  1. tumaelso's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by vendelin View Post
    Only about 600 to get on top of the "most comments on a news post"-list Number one is celestial steed!

    ontopic: well, I wonder whether this spells good or bad for mmo-champ. Too many people joining is not super good either. :/
    the original post in the US forums have reached over 40K comments
  1. nehh's Avatar
    Good lord, i am happy to not play computergames anymore. This pretty much remindes me of the german government buying customer information from some swiss and luxemburgish companies.

    There is a reason why 99% of the people using the internet have a nickname/anonymus.
  1. Deathstyk's Avatar
    so hilarious, well to me anyways
    people have been saying that this will die down, and no one will really care and all that.
    well a few days later (today) i check out the official forums (i got banned for posting in a threat stating reasons this is bad) and i start to read the official thread, theres about 2033 pages when i start reading, in the time it took me to read page 2033, wich i skipped straight too, four more pages have erupted.
    in the time it took me to read page 2037, wich i skipped to, 5 more pages has erupted.
    ive never seen a thread this active, not even the starpony(money maker) threads.

    ---------- Post added 2010-07-08 at 06:42 PM ----------

    Quote Originally Posted by tumaelso View Post
    the original post in the US forums have reached over 40K comments
    41k now actually. lol

    ---------- Post added 2010-07-08 at 07:06 PM ----------

    so i had this thought, what if, and this is entirely hypothetical and based on nothing, infact it isnt true, but what if it was true. what if this whole real id fiasco, was just to get people to log onto the forums, and stay on, so that activision blizzard could suck in those advertising dollars generated by their banner ads.
    that would have actually been a better move by them in my opinion lol

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