Diablo 3 - Diablo 3 Beta Patch 8 - Official Patch Notes

Battle.net BattleTag FAQ
Blizzard added a FAQ for the upcoming BattleTag feature to their new support site this afternoon.

Originally Posted by Blizzard (Blue Tracker / Official Forums)
What is a Battle.net BattleTag?
A BattleTag is a unified, player-chosen nickname that will identify you across all of Battle.net – in Blizzard Entertainment games, on our websites, and in our community forums. Similar to Real ID, BattleTags will give players on Battle.net a new way to find and chat with friends they've met in-game, form friendships, form groups, and stay connected across multiple Blizzard Entertainment games. BattleTags will also provide a new option for displaying public profiles.

When will BattleTags go live?
We will soon begin limited testing of some features and functionality of BattleTags in the Diablo III beta test, and the feature will be available to Diablo III players at launch. BattleTags will be integrated into other Blizzard games and services such as World of Warcraft and StarCraft II at some point in the future, but we don't have exact rollout plans to share just yet.

Will my BattleTag be unique?
A player's BattleTag is not unique, so you won't need to worry about whether your preferred name is available. You can use any name you wish, as long as it adheres to the BattleTag Naming Policy. Only one BattleTag can be associated with each Battle.net account.

If my BattleTag isn't unique, what makes me uniquely identifiable? How will I know I'm adding the right friend to my friends list?
Each BattleTag is automatically assigned a 4-digit BattleTag code, which combines with your chosen name to create a unique identifier (e.g. AwesomeGnome#3592). Your BattleTag and code are viewable when you log in to the Battle.net website and within the Diablo III beta client, and can be shared with other players who want to send you a friend request manually. You will also be able to send BattleTag friend requests list within the context of a game (by clicking a person's BattleTag when he or she sends you a message, for example) without knowing their BattleTag code. In either case, each player must mutually agree to become BattleTag friends.

I'm not in the Diablo III beta – can I choose a BattleTag now anyway?
Sure! You can pick your BattleTag now through Battle.net Account Management, regardless of whether you're participating in the Diablo III beta test. Simply visit the BattleTag creation page (http://www.battle.net/account/manage...ag-create.html) to get started. Make sure to choose a handle you will be happy with in the long term and that abides by our BattleTag Naming Policy, as you will be unable to change your BattleTag once you've selected it. We plan to provide a way for players to change their BattleTags in the future, but we don't have any further details to share just yet.

Where will my BattleTag be seen?
During the Diablo III beta test, your BattleTag will be seen in the Diablo III client (on friends lists and in chat), on the Diablo III forums, and in Battle.net Account Management. In the future, expect it to be displayed in other Blizzard games like StarCraft II and World of Warcraft on friends lists, in chat, or when making posts on their associated forums. We'll have further details on how and where your BattleTag will be displayed in the future.

When will World of Warcraft and StarCraft II support BattleTags?
Our plan is for all current and future Blizzard games to support BattleTags eventually. However, we don't have any announcements to make regarding when BattleTags will be integrated into World of Warcraft or StarCraft II at this time.

Do I need to choose my BattleTag now?
You will only be required to create a BattleTag now if you'd like to log in to the Diablo III beta client (beginning with an upcoming patch) or to use a Diablo III-related identity on the Diablo III forums. You will still be able to post on these forums using a World of Warcraft or StarCraft II character name if you wish.

Will I still be able to display my character on my profile or Armory page?
Armory profiles will be unaffected by the introduction of BattleTags. We'll have more information on how BattleTags will be integrated into existing games in the future.

How will this affect World of Warcraft?
BattleTags will add a new way for you to make friendships and communicate in World of Warcraft. For example, you'll be able to create cross-game, cross-realm friendships with your BattleTag, similar to the way Real ID works now. We'll have more details to share closer to the feature's launch.

Will this affect my existing Real ID friendships?
No. Your Real ID friendships will continue to exist, and all of the features and benefits of Real ID will remain available to you. BattleTags will simply give players another way to connect and communicate across Blizzard games. For example, if two players aren't Real ID friends but want to stay in touch across Battle.net, they'll be able to establish a BattleTag-based friendship; in the future, BattleTag friends will have access to many of the communication benefits (such as cross-game chat) currently available to Real ID friends.

Do BattleTags replace Real ID? Can I create new Real ID friendships?
BattleTags are a new feature separate from Real ID. Real ID will continue to work as it always has, and you can continue to create Real ID friendships with people you know in real life.

Will this affect my World of Warcraft or StarCraft II character names in any way?
Your World of Warcraft character names will continue to exist and work as they currently do. We're still in the process of determining how we will handle StarCraft II character names once BattleTags are integrated into the game.

How does my BattleTag work in the Diablo III beta?
Only some BattleTag features will be available during the Diablo III beta test. At first, players will be able to add friends to their friends list using their BattleTags, though new or different features may be available at different times during the testing process. We'll have more information on all of the features of BattleTags in Diablo III with the launch of the game next year.
This article was originally published in forum thread: Battle.net BattleTag FAQ started by chaud View original post
Comments 88 Comments
  1. Quesly's Avatar
    how is this different from realid?
  1. Indecision's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Palisis View Post
    In their post they didnt say you'd get all the benefits of readID, just the communication aspects of it. With realID you can bg and dung together.
    Using the restroom should probably be done separately.
  1. wiIdi's Avatar
    What is a Battle.net BattleTag? the opposite of anonymity, post something on forum, get flamed ingame, cool
  1. Kerawyn's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Palisis View Post
    In their post they didnt say you'd get all the benefits of readID, just the communication aspects of it. With realID you can bg and dung together.
    And I quote from the FAQ:

    "BattleTags will add a new way for you to make friendships and communicate in World of Warcraft. For example, you'll be able to create cross-game, cross-realm friendships with your BattleTag, similar to the way Real ID works now. We'll have more details to share closer to the feature's launch."

    What exactly would be the point of a cross-realm friendship if you can't do ANYTHING with it?
  1. videotape's Avatar
    It sounds to me like BattleTag should replace Real ID, and I'm not sure what good it does to have the two systems coexisting separately.
  1. IdolisedCultural's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Quesly View Post
    how is this different from realid?
    You don't give them your email and they don't see your real name. Its basically just a xrealm friends list you can use to do dungeons and bgs together.
  1. The Ogdru Jahad's Avatar
    This is basically a rename of Real ID...wtf is the point of this waste of development resources. Jesus christ blizzard doesn't know where to put their priorities anymore.
  1. Primal Zed's Avatar
    I was a strong proponent of letting users pick their own name for display in Real ID rather than using the real name.

    While I"m not sure why Blizzard is providing this in a separate feature rather than adding to Real ID, I'm still thrilled that it's being worked in.
  1. DeanyKong's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by The Ogdru Jahad View Post
    This is basically a rename of Real ID...wtf is the point of this waste of development resources. Jesus christ blizzard doesn't know where to put their priorities anymore.
    Because now you don't have to give away your real name and email to people who you'd like to talk to across different realms or games. And yes, it is just a rename of RealID, so no, it wasn't a waste of development resources. This was one guy copy/pasting code over.

    Also, why don't you cancel your sub? It'll really show Blizzard who's boss!
  1. Doombringer's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Quesly View Post
    how is this different from realid?
    It doesn't seem to be... except that it coexists with RealID.

    It should overtake and replace RealID, but ... won't? I don't know what Blizz is up to here. How many logins, IDs, tags... and crap do we need?
  1. bloody251's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by reve View Post
    Hmmm... Isn't it kinda late for this?
    Better late then never :P
  1. tusker's Avatar
    Maybe it finally occurred to them that there are some people you want to be friends with and play Blizzard games with, etc. but you don't necessarily want to give them your email address and real name.

    Having this and RealID side by side isn't bad by any means, it just doesn't make much sense. It will just end up confusing people.
  1. Blood Crusade's Avatar
    I'm not really seeing the big difference here I guess. So, you can see who's online playing what game...alright...how exactly is that different from battle.net's rID save the fact that it doesn't use your real name (unless you put your battle tag as your real name).
  1. mmoc1e4c5b7903's Avatar
    Dear Blizzard . It seems you are obsessed creating a kind of social network and in the end (probably) facebook-twitter integration . Guess what . We don't give a damn . Actually when I play the game I want to stay anonymous . I don't want my boss to see on my profile whan mmorpg I play . Your target is completely different then mine , your client . I repeat . I f..n want to remain anonymous . Stop trying to invent new ways to resurect the real ID
  1. Dasn's Avatar
    surprised by all the positive comments on this
  1. Mascotte's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by vandam View Post
    Dear Blizzard . Actually when I play the game I want to stay anonymous . I don't want my boss to see on my profile whan mmorpg I play .
    Thats the entire idea behind this, you do get that right?
    Using this you can add someone that you met during a LFG/LFR/BG without them knowing your real name.
    This does exactly what you claim you want.
    And yet you complain.
    Really.
  1. mmoc1e4c5b7903's Avatar
    I don't want unique ID-s. I want multiple ID. Other in each game. I don't want my wow guild to spam me to come to raid when I play Starcraft or Diablo . Give me at least "appear offline to all" option .
  1. zilverdael's Avatar
    Nice!! clicks link
    An error has occurred. Back to Battle.net Account Management
    Ha! GG Blizz
  1. mmoc1e4c5b7903's Avatar
    Now happend exactly what this guy (the one who leaked the name of expansion in february 2011 and no one belived him ) said will happend more then 1 month ago : REAL ID 2.0 incoming : http://daeity.blogspot.com/2011/11/y...-prepared.html
    ...............................
    So, what was the purpose of Real ID in the first place?Targeted advertising.Back in July 2010, Blizzard had planned targeted advertising within Starcraft 2. They entered into a contract with Microsoft's Massive Inc. to deliver in-game advertisements within Starcraft 2.Coincidentally, this was also around the same time that REAL ID was announced. Real ID caused a scandal and it failed, and then within about a month, Blizzard cancelled their contract and pulled the plug on their Microsoft partnership and SC2 in-game advertising. It's almost as if in-game (targeted) advertising was dependent on the Real ID system. Having a constant flow of 10-20 million players per day and access to a very sophisticated targeting advertising platform, Blizzard can reap a MASSIVE amount of profit by entering into the advertising business. (Targeted advertising is bigger than most people realize. It's where Google's immense wealth came from.)Their first in-game advertising attempt failed due to Real ID "1.0". But, now they have Real ID 2.0, and a new monster to deliver in-game advertising
    ..............................
    A certain type of game would be needed to accommodate in-game ads. Something that matches our real world more closely; a modern world, with virtual billboards, radio, and TV. And that brings us to Titan.Titan is rumored to be similar to Second Life, it will have a lot of characters (NPCs) within it, there are a large number of environments, and it might have more of a real (or modern) world feel to it. If so, a world like this would be perfect for in-game ads and linking real world items with in-game purchases or vice versa. (RL ads to get you buying virtual items, and in-game ads getting you to buy RL items.)A lot of this can be done through a Real Money Auction House, which you can bet will be implemented in Titan if the D3 testing is successful. Titan would be perfect for a large quantity of items, homes, or furnishings that can be created or sold. Personally, I don't think there will be houses or land for sale, but I do think there will be a large number of vanity items that can be crafted or sold for real money.(Even if there are multiple environments, like the historical and ancient cities that have been hinted at, advertising would still be possible whether they're at a certain hub, meeting place, or even in these environments depending on suitability.)

    I think it's all part of a greater plan. Like Blizzard said, Titan is their most ambitious project ever. And all of these systems or strategies are very easy to implement, they're practical, and they're highly lucrative. Diablo 3 and now the REAL ID 2.0 is only a testing ground for Titan. It's just going to take a few years of nudging players into the right direction and adjusting their personal level of acceptance. You can call it "manipulation" if you want.. the description is apt.


    We're being prepared for Titan right now, and one thing that needs to happen is gamer acceptance. Now the mechanics to milk us our money are being implemented 1 by 1 .
  1. zakayron's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by vandam View Post
    Dear Blizzard . It seems you are obsessed creating a kind of social network and in the end (probably) facebook-twitter integration . Guess what . We don't give a damn . Actually when I play the game I want to stay anonymous . I don't want my boss to see on my profile whan mmorpg I play . Your target is completely different then mine , your client . I repeat . I f..n want to remain anonymous . Stop trying to invent new ways to resurect the real ID

    More likely is them bring out a steam style digital download service.
    Code:
    /tar kitten
    /cast Power Word:Shield
    If you look on the product schedule there is something called "Bnet 3rd parties" which points to a digital download store to me.
    So having a unified public username would make sense

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