Would you want / like Blizzard to force a name change for everyone?

[Deleted]

This game has been going for a while now and every name that isn't something rather random or out of place in a role playing game has been taken. To me this is a shame, and in my personal opinion I'd love it for Blizzard to force every persons character into a name change. This I mainly think would be great because I'm one for roleplay names, something that fits the character to atleast some extent and we've ran out of good names, or near enough atleast. A lot of people have quit the game so it'd be nice to be able to have those longed for names which have been taken by people who have long ago quit.

Is this something you'd like to see?
If some names were free'd up what would you try and you're newly rerolled name to be?

Personally I'd like to see this, but my main role play names aren't taken due to having created them myself over 8 years ago and never once have I seen someone use my name, even when I armoury search! Which is perfect (not grimfort)

tldr; Would you like / want Blizzard to change everyones name to random didgits and numbers and giving everyone a chance to grab names taken by people long gone whom have quit the game? Is it something you'd like to see and what names would you jump to grab?

[Ornerybear]

this is beyond stupid. there are people who have had characters since launch day with the same name. so what you're suggesting is make it possible to snag their name?

[Runedeath1]

They already do that to accounts that have been inactive for 1 or 2 expansions.

[Rivin]

They've done a couple of resets on inactive characters already. I don't think they'll ever do one for active characters, but resets on inactive characters will likely continue to happen occasionally.

[Deleted]

this is beyond stupid. there are people who have had characters since launch day with the same name. so what you're suggesting is make it possible to snag their name?

I just thought it'd be interesting to see who'd like this. I hadn't really thought about those people to be quite honest and thought it'd be nicer for us whom wish for names which are taken by inactive players. Though I think theres more to gain than to lose, most people would snatch their names back straight away rather than lose them!

- - - Updated - - -

They already do that to accounts that have been inactive for 1 or 2 expansions.

I did not know this! thanks

[MoanaLisa]

No, forcing everyone to change their names is a really terrible idea.

[Deleted]

No, forcing everyone to change their names is a really terrible idea.

From a previous poster I reliased it would be a pretty harsh idea to the people who have an a long time name of 5+ years or how ever long but what other reasons would it be a bad idea? I guess I forgot to mention in this hypothetical situation you can choose the same name again but somebody could snag it before you got to it due to work or something like that.

[Molis]

A lot of people have quit the game so it'd be nice to be able to have those longed for names which have been taken by people who have long ago quit.

You can send a ticket to a GM and they will free up an unused name for you.
I have done it three times on different servers.

I do not like the idea of forced name changes across the board.

[Geobram]

Resetting the names of active people is one of the stupidest things I've heard. I know you imply that it should only be for inactive people, but thats something they already do. You can ask Blizzard to free a name and if the character is inactive long enough, they will. So, i assume that you want something different from this, and please don't ever ask for that.
If. If, you only want to mass free up all the inactive names. How do you propose to do that? I mean, if you want some other rules than Blizzard already uses, please enlighten us. If you want the same rules that Blizzard already uses, then you propose absolutely nothing new over what is already possible...

[Deleted]

Resetting the names of active people is one of the stupidest things I've heard. I know you imply that it should only be for inactive people, but thats something they already do. You can ask Blizzard to free a name and if the character is inactive long enough, they will. So, i assume that you want something different from this, and please don't ever ask for that.
If. If, you only want to mass free up all the inactive names. How do you propose to do that? I mean, if you want some other rules than Blizzard already uses, please enlighten us. If you want the same rules that Blizzard already uses, then you propose absolutely nothing new over what is already possible...

Main problem was I didn't know they freed up names for people whom had been inactive so it kinda makes the thread pointless, but alas we shall endure this newly found nihilism. To your question though, seeing as they can track how long a character/account has been inactive they could create a system that puts your character automatically to nameless after being inactive for so long in which you can rename once trying to log back in to that character through an automated thing like the boost or the current name change system, not sure how it works mind, haven't used it.

Though punch me now, I actually didn't imply that it was mainly for inactive people but with what you have said it seems the more appropriate direction to take this in, so thanks! Though if it was only for inactive people I'm sure we'd see a responce from people whom are active who wish for the same and they would possibly scream kick and shout about not having the same as the other side!

[Geobram]

Glad you learned something today

I still don't think that the system needs to be changed. Ask Blizzard whenever you want an occupied name and they will free, if its inactive long enough. Except for doing it automatically, is there anything you'd like to see changed?

[RedGamer030]

Blizzard already frees up names on accounts that have been inactive for the past two expansions...

[dextersmith]

It's a good way to make attached players quit.

[Deleted]

You can send a ticket to a GM and they will free up an unused name for you.
I have done it three times on different servers.

I do not like the idea of forced name changes across the board.

Me neither, that would piss way more people off than the current system. If I find a name I like is taken, I don't get upset. Someone else got to it first and I'm just not very original, haha.

I actually got curious about this and checked on the Battle.net customer support page, to be met with this:

"We often receive requests from players to free up a character name. Customer Support will no longer assist with releasing names. Instead, names will automatically become available if the account that holds the name has remained inactive for the past two expansions.

For example, if an account has been inactive since before the Cataclysm expansion, all names on that account will be made available when the Warlords of Draenor expansion launches.

If you are an active player, there is no need to worry that your character names will be changed, even if you have been playing other characters for a while."

There is one name I wouldn't mind taking that's being used by a level 80 Druid that looks like it hasn't been logged into for a very long time. However that Druid could belong to an active account, so chances are I'll never get that name - not that it's a big deal. Maybe if I contacted a GM in-game it'd still be doable. Or maybe EU and US support are just a bit different.

[MoanaLisa]

From a previous poster I reliased it would be a pretty harsh idea to the people who have an a long time name of 5+ years or how ever long but what other reasons would it be a bad idea? I guess I forgot to mention in this hypothetical situation you can choose the same name again but somebody could snag it before you got to it due to work or something like that.

Because you wish to affect millions of players for the relatively selfish reason of obtaining a character name. That would seem to be enough.

[Bosen]

This would make players very,very angry,so I don't support this idea. People have an attachment to the character(s) they've invested in. Anything that makes it feel negative shouldn't be done. It would just hurt people.

[Youn]

It would also cause serious problems for streamers and high end raiders. As their names would be taken quite quickly by people just trolling to block names.

[Rezhial]

This is honestly one of the worst ideas I've read on these forums.

[Kazgrel]

They already do this. As of Legion, I believe if an account hasn't been active since MoP, the names become available. IIRC account has to have been active at some point in the current xpac and/or previous xpac to be immune to name change requests.

[vilememory]

How about we start culling the names of assholes that log in once an expansion, just so they can hog certain names.