I swear Blizzard touched upon this topic (as in, the consequences) back when its Real ID system was first mentioned, but apparently everyone forgot or I made the whole thing up. Essentially, its main purpose is to let players use real names when communicating with friends.
Word has gotten out -- straight from Blizzard, actually -- that, at least for the company's forums moving forward, the use of Real IDs is not optional.
Your real-life name will be what appears on posted messages, presumably to encourage users to not be complete b*stards knowing their actions could potentially be found by a future employer doing a preliminary history check on Google. Here's the quote of choice from Blizzard:
"In the near future, anyone posting or replying to a post on official Blizzard forums will be doing so using their Real ID ... 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."
As someone who, on a daily basis, has to deal with what Internet anonymity does to otherwise reasonable people, I find this whole ordeal to be kind of hilarious. But yes, the issue of privacy is a serious one; there's always the option to, y'know, not post on Battle.net if it's a major concern to you, though. I get the feeling many people will take that route.
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Contest:
5:20 PM on 07.06.2010 | 
And seriously, who the fuck would want MMO weirdo's with no life to have access to your name?
Well I can understand that but what about freedom of speech and being anonymous? I am all for weeding out the assholes and such for stupid remarks but I believe in being anonymous. Or having the option to be.
Celebrities(Even minor celebrities) want their privacy. This means they can no longer post on the forums. And Blizzard wants to introduce this into the game proper.
People like me with a unique name can easily be searched. An employer might not hire me because I play WoW or maybe even because I said Warlocks need a nerf.
The internet should be a place where you can be whoever you want. God forbid you are a WoW roleplayer you're gonna have your name attached to roleplaying logs and that probably won't end well.
Also, to change your name you need to send Blizzard a photo ID. That's a pain in the ass.
Because I'm on the internet under a pseudonym I have to ask: Are you some sort of stupid illiterate fuckwit?
(That's your reason)
Change our real life names to our most used online names.
Virtuality is better than real life anyway, might as well dispose of our real names.
Wow. Such hostility just for asking a question and giving an opinion lol. Sorry for stepping on ye holiest of toes sir!
I don't really like this idea, only because my name a hassle to type.
And Weird.
I can't tell you how many people think my first name is my last name, or how they flip when I tell 'em my real last name.....
If I can use shorthand, I'll be more on.....
You're not getting it are you man :)
The point that Blizard are making is that I would never have responded to you in such a manner had I been posting under my real name.
(Further clarification just in case: I was not actually calling you names, I reserve name calling for people who have different opinions to me not people who are asking questions)
Gamers aren't well-liked.
Ignoring the fact that some gamers are well-read, well-intentioned, and whatnot, there is still a negative social stigma around them.
Most specifically, from older employers. In this market, finding a job is hard enough, and if a boss sees that you play WoW or Starcraft... say goodbye to your position.
WoW players especially, because pretty much no one but other WoW players has any respect for them.
Or, you know, the psychopaths who go and kill someone when they find out who stole all their loot. There's them too.
Sorry buddy. I zapped you an email explaining myself lol. Sorry I missed the sarcasm! DERP DERP DERP
I know what you mean about the psychopaths, I remember a bunch of morons who were banned contacting an XBL employee when they got his info and began sending threats. It could possibly be better to appease and threaten to show a users full name after committing an offense.
People don't like exploring worlds on the mako? RIP OUT EXPLORING WORLDS
People don't like the inventory system? RIP OUT THE INVENTORY
People don't like how much anonymity we afford on our forums, which is an astoundingly large amount considering creating a new identity is as simple as pressing a button? RIP OUT THE ANONYMITY
Surely, we can't just have unique account aliases that would allow players to determine when that level 1 orc is actually the level 80 mage they grouped with yesterday, without the issue of name overlap ("I'm John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt." "NO WAY, Thats my name too!" "Yeah, whenever I go out, people always shout, I have no clue what that is about")
Its not like that sort of thing doesn't work for say every large internet community ever. Hell, Blizzard has one up on those communities since creating a new forum account would require buying the $20-$60 game again, and in the case of WoW, maintaining a second subscription.
This doesn't change ANYTHING other than improving the in-game(for all Blizzard games) friends list and if a side-effect of it is less assholes/racists/douchebags trolling the forums, why the hell not?
Much like when people try to justify piracy, the only people raging against this change, are those pirate 4chan assholes.
And yes, I actually play WoW but I don't act like a douchebag on the forums so this doesn't affect me.
I'd really hate to see people not call me Daxelman or Dax or Daxel on the internet. I don't know about you, but I frequently read aloud to myself, and saying nicknames/real names is something I do a lot. I'd hate for someone like me to have to reiterate my unusual last name over and over again anytime they want to read something I say.
...
I don't play Blizzard games, what am I doing here?
GUILD WARS 2 IS WHERE IT'S AT NOW, RIGHT GUYS?
Granted this doesn't include the message boards, but I can't see much of a problem there. Either people will shape up and act like adults or they will go to whatever lengths needed to ensure that their real name isn't even connected to the internets.
Or they'll keep on keepin on hahahaha.
Also, I get what you're saying. I would always feel uncomfortable when my guildmates would be like "So I was over at Chad's yesterday and Josh was there so we got drunk and then Stacey came over and we went to get burgers with Steve. Hey Jason, heal me please, JIM GET AWAY FROM THE BOSS!"
On the one hand, its cool that a lot of people in the game know eachother either in real life, or just on a first-name basis but whenever they'd talk to be I'd be wary about using my real name, I'd always just use and go-by my WoW toon's name.
I sometimes quote people I've met online, in real life and I always say their username. Its going to take a bit of getting used to but I believe the Pro's outweigh the Con's.
... commence law suit against Blizzard regarding stalker.
They should at least force you to put your Real Name in your Profile or in that little Avatar Slot shit with a short hand of your info. That way, The Username still stands as the norm, and any pervert....I mean, concerned user who wants to know your name can find out with one click.
Keeps shit simple and what not.
I've thought for years that everybody should have a universal profile with a picture of them as the avatar. Trolls are only trolls because they know they're (mostly) anonymous to the public, and they aren't so intimidating when their picture of Sephiroth (or what have you) is replaced with that of a fat, pimply teenager. :)
This is a great idea >_>
Unless Blizzard plans of using the name tied to people's credit cards (which would get Blizzard dragged into court for customer protection violations), this isn't going to do a damned thing.
Those people already know how to easily obtain that information if/when they want it.
I do understand what you're saying though. :)
Name: Bruce Wayne
Address: 1007 Mountain Drive, Gotham Citry, New York
email address: Iamthebatman@gmail.com
But I realize that I am something of an exception