Really? Come on Blizz

[Calibar]

Hey. I have a friend who has a shaman, well had a shaman named Stormfuhrer. He's a nice guy and was using the word fuhrer in its actual literal German sense, meaning of which is Leader. Hence his name was "leader of the storm", pretty appropriate for a shaman.

Recently he had a forced name change, he had no issue with this. But just raised the matter with Blizzard anyways, wondering what the issue was.
We know it could be referenced back to WW2, but as fuhrer is still a word used in modern day Germany to mean Leader he didn't see the issue.

Blizzard wrote back to say that yes, the reasoning behind the forced name change is that people will associate it do what happened in WW2. And now my friend has a 7day ban.

This, to me, is utterly ridiculous for a number of reasons.

1. As stated already Fuhrer is a word still used by lots of people in current day Germany to mean Leader. You can't just go around banning the use of this word because one guy used it in a negative way. I'm sure H!tler used lots of German words in a derogatory manner. What are you going to do? Ban the whole language?

2. There is a whole quest chain in Uldum that is composed solely around WW2. During this Q chain I believe Commander Schnottz is even referred to AS Fuhrer. And thats using it in its actual WW2 term. My friend wasn't even doing that! Double standards much?

3. My friend was perfectly polite in his petition to Blizzard regarding his forced name change. He stated he didn't mind just wanted to further understand the reasoning behind it. This caused him to be Banned? So we can't ever question what Blizzard does? No matter how polite we may be whilst doing so? That seems totally fair.

I realise this is a sensitive subject. But this seems to entirely take things too far when you consider all the options. I make this forum post to see what you guys think. And to plea to Blizzard on behalf of my friend (and my guild who has lost our tank.) to reconsider this unnecessary ban.

Quote from the eu forums. I just wanted to continue the thread since it was locked also wanted to say that how can Blizz ban a guy for 7 days for using a german word because "people will associate it with WWII" Most of Uldum is about Indiana Jones and NAZIs!!! Seriously so a name deserves a ban but they can have half a zone's quest line about Nazis. /sigh

[jibbyjackjoe]

Yeah, their naming policy is basically "If anyone flags you, your name is gone."
I don't mean to be insensitive as it is a very important piece of history. But, it really is a legit German word.

[Alraml]

The questline isn't about Nazi's, it's about Indiana Jones. The "Nazi" faction is completely renamed, there's no direct link.

Though 7 days ban seems a bit much

[Ignorance]

Yeah, their naming policy is basically "If anyone flags you, your name is gone."
I don't mean to be insensitive as it is a very important piece of history. But, it really is a legit German word.

Yup, pretty much this. If people complain, they have to keep those people happy.

[Gharld]

..Why would you bother bringing something that isnt new whatsoever to a forum that at the end of the day really doesnt care about a name change? Oh wait its mmo-champion, that happens every 20 seconds.

[Deleted]

I must admit, while in the majority of cases Blizzard are right, this is possibly hypocritical and wrong. I think they should issue the player with the ban time in free game time ><

[PhilCosby]

Yup, pretty much this. If people complain, they have to keep those people happy.

Sounds like some people need the good 'ole STFU treatment.

[Kaga]

Usually these naming threads all tend the same way.
Retard makes stupid, and most probably offensive name.
Retard gets banned/renamed/etc.
Retard thinks "i can has use this experience to troll many forums" knowing full well that he was in the wrong.

But in this case, i'm really disappointed, i think this was entirely unfair, i actually really like the name, and fuhrer IS just the literal translation for leader. There really is absolutely nothing to be offended about here. Anyone who is offended, is just plain ignorant.

[Deleted]

whatta BS. how old do they think their players r to be such pussies toward common words that might be relationed to war events. if that is not discrimination, then i call it trollin from blizz part. joinin the topic on the official forum atm... this is BS.

[Deleted]

Sorry but Blizzard was right ... he deserved that ban.

Storm = Sturm, and Sturmführer was a military rank in the SS.

[Alraml]

Sorry but Blizzard was right ... he deserved that ban.

Storm = Sturm, and Sturmführer was a military rank in the SS.

Ahhh, thanks for explaining. Yeah, definatly made that name to troll then.

[Mad_Murdock]

Doesn't Germany itself had a pretty hardline stance against anything related to Nazis\Hitler. Isn't displaying the SS symbol consider a higher than misdemenor offense? I don't know for sure without googling, but I've seen a few blurps on TV

It's pretty simple, while your friend may or may not have meant to have any correlation to Hitler, plenty of people do have that very intent, and let's be honest here, If I wanted to use Fuhrer in honor of Hitler, but know that I can't because it's unacceptable, of course I'm going to argue that I'm just using it in the strictest sense of the word in hopes of skating by the system.

The 7 day ban seems to be extreme. It also seems like their might be some other details left out. I've known and seen a fair number of folk use highly offensive names and not get banned

[zachie]

Sorry but Blizzard was right ... he deserved that ban.

Storm = Sturm, and Sturmführer was a military rank in the SS.

Then the name Aer should be banned aswell by your logic.
Because aer can be translated to eagle, and we all know what eagles have been used for in ww2
http://www.freewebs.com/ourww2collection/jas2.JPG

imo Blizzard had a major brainfart on this one, even if it was intended to be sturmführer i wouldn't give a damn, some people need to stop playing victim for something that happended 70 years ago when they weren't even born.


Edit: what happened in ww2 was terrible, but its time to get over it, some people abuse their etnicity and things happened way before they were born to stay in the center of attention, its sad that a very small percentage of this group abuses every little thing they can for some attention about how hard the germans hurt their feelings 70 years ago.

[Abandon]

Then the name Aer should be banned aswell by your logic.
Because aer can be translated to eagle, and we all know what eagles have been used for in ww2
http://www.freewebs.com/ourww2collection/jas2.JPG

imo Blizzard had a major brainfart on this one, even if it was intended to be sturmführer i wouldn't give a damn, some people need to stop playing victim for something that happended 70 years ago when they weren't even born.

Just because you don't give a damn doesn't mean everyone else agrees with you.

[Zaelsino]

The connotation is just too obvious on an English-speaking server. Your friend should take it in his stride and pick a name/suffix not typically associated with Nazi Germany and its fascist dictator.

I'll admit that it's a bit of a double standard considering that nonsense they shoehorned into Uldum (though goblin Hitler was amusing), but eh, it's really not worth contesting.

[Deleted]

I would understand a Namechange and/or Ban if he had used the actual Word, since some may be offended by it.
But he used a "changed" version that i, personally, don´t think is offending.
I´m also pretty sure me specially changed it this way to have no direct association with the Nazi-Rank.

PS:
This will derail very fast -.-

[Gharld]

Then the name Aer should be banned aswell by your logic.
Because aer can be translated to eagle, and we all know what eagles have been used for in ww2
http://www.freewebs.com/ourww2collection/jas2.JPG

imo Blizzard had a major brainfart on this one, even if it was intended to be sturmführer i wouldn't give a damn, some people need to stop playing victim for something that happended 70 years ago when they weren't even born.


Edit: what happened in ww2 was terrible, but its time to get over it, some people abuse their etnicity and things happened way before they were born to stay in the center of attention, its sad that a very small percentage of this group abuses every little thing they can for some attention about how hard the germans hurt their feelings 70 years ago.

So...according to you, anything involving an eagle is totally nazi, similar to how a guys name is more or less a direct reference to a SS rank. Uh huh.

Also, should we forget about the 9-11 attacks just because they were 10 years ago and we should "get over it"? Stop being a moral shut-in and realize you cant just "get over" something that has effected millions of lives and shaped the world, even 70 years afterwards.

And before a "9-11 was in most of our lifetimes, ww2 wasnt", 9-11 took around 3000 lives, ww2 took upwards of 60 million. Thats 20,000 times more people, including soldiers, innocents, towns, neighborhoods, familys, all lost because of the zealous actions of the Nazi party.

[looki]

Not Indiana Jones in wow but "Harrison Jones"

The questline isn't about Nazi's, it's about Indiana Jones. The "Nazi" faction is completely renamed, there's no direct link.

Though 7 days ban seems a bit much

[Deleted]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sturmf%C3%BChrer
Also:
Consist of any title prefix attached to a character's name be it fantasy-based or not (i.e. Kingmike, Presidentsanchez)
(http://us.blizzard.com/support/artic...d=20368#titles)
Deserved his ban.
In fact, worshipping Hitler and Nazisme is illegal in almost every country. Blizzard should sue the racist imo.

[Riff]

Sorry but Blizzard was right ... he deserved that ban.

Storm = Sturm, and Sturmführer was a military rank in the SS.

This. I googled "Stormfuhrer" to make this very point and guess what came up. Justified action imo.