“Will our mystery challenger enter and sign in please?”
Back when I was so young that my biggest decision was whether I should read my comic book or eat my Fudgicle there was a game show on called What’s My Line? Each week those words would be heard as a panel of celebrities were blindfolded and tried to identify someone’s identity.
Now it’s not news that people on the internet love pseudonyms. In fact, with the exception of our developer interviews, our guests use fake names so often we have begun to think we are interviewing fugitives from the law. We had, of course, received multiple emails about something called “Realid” from Blizzard – but we receive so many fake missives pretending to be from Blizzard (Phishing expeditions) that we assume that they are all fake. Not to mention that there wasn’t much reason for me to concern myself with it. I did, of course, scan the messages from Blizzard to determine if they are real or not, and found one tell me I could “friend” other players using my “Real ID” (real name). I dismissed it nearly immediately. After all, the person I travel the virtual highways and byways of Azeroth with the most sits across the table for me at breakfast every day – and if there is a question about my co-host’s identify at this point I am in BIG trouble.
So it is that I hadn’t paid much attention to the matter when I scanned through all the spams our filter catches each day and found one on the same subject by an irate Blizzard Customer. Then I scanned the morning headlines from local news and saw comments on the subject by Keen from Keen and Graevs , The Ancient Gaming Noob , and Scott Jennings over at Broken Toys . But the best quote by far was simply a one liner….
Blizzard are about to ban themselves from their own forums.” – Melmoth. Killed in a Smiling Accident
As we all know by now…
And when I say ALL I MEAN all – when even the Washington Post carries the same news it is either a slow news day or a big issue (I will assume it’s a slow news day). The thing about the Washington Post carrying news from our favorite industry is twofold. First, it tells of how fast news travels around the global village that constitutes the internet. If you miss a day it’s old news. Second is reminiscent of something a co-worker told me once. She said that by the time the suburbanites start using a phrase or catch on to a particular trend she knows its passé – the same goes for the main stream media covering mmo news for the most part. For those of you who, like me, either didn’t care or had the audacity (as the No Prisoners, No Mercy Team did) to take the long holiday weekend off here is the official blurb from the official source:
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. – Via Ars Technica, Source Post
The Washington Post article was quick to point out that the angry replies are now over 2,000 pages long (and probably growing exponentially).
Two problems leap immediately two mind, the first and most important being the real identity of children (and like it or not those nasty teenagers that hurl epithets at you over general chat ARE LEGALLY children). If there has not been some provision made by Blizzard to exempt children, especially young children, the whole concept of using a real identity is a class action law suit waiting to leap out at Activision (the deepest pocket in this case) and yell GOTCHA!!!
The second problem, I have already experienced to some degree. It was recently mentioned by Scott Jennings over at Broken Toys:
Especially if you’re female. Because in the New Facebook Order, levelling while female is the new driving while black*. Of course, if you don’t want people to treat you differently for being a woman, you could just not post in the forums – Scott Jennings, Broken Toys
On occasion I have experienced this myself. One instance pops into mind immediately – I was fishing Azeroth when this gnome walks up to me and drops a line in the water. It doesn’t take long for the trash talk to start (this was back in the days when I was delusional enough to play a Night Elf). The youth of the player behind the pixels, whether physical or mental or both, became immediately apparent. When I pointed out to the young man in question that I am, in fact, an overweight middle aged nun and no doubt old enough to be his mother there ensued a long, long pause…followed by short gnome feet running speedily away.
As to the rest, there is an old adage that says “boys will be boys” – followed quickly by what should be an addendum to the adage:
Asshats will be asshats.
Real name or no, Blizzard is right about one thing – the official forums of any game have so many flames that the Great Chicago Fire pales into insignificance. Real name or no that will not stop until the asshats find out just how perceived is the perceived anonymity of the internet. Real name in hand it is a relatively easy thing to find just about anyone. And when someone says on the forum “if you don’t like it come and get me” eventually some will.
In the end analysis real id doesn’t affect anyone here on the NPNM team personally. No one here even reads the forums let alone posts in them. Still, it makes for some interesting reading.
See you online,
Millard Filmore
[Posted for Millard Filmore by The Webmaster who will never give out a real identiy]
*Side Note: For those of you living under a rock and haven’t heard of the expression “driving while black” a local example is a man who was stopped by a police officer from the Chicago Suburbs when he saw a gentleman of African heritage driving a Cadillac through his town. The officer from reasons which I can only presume was prompted by insanity, assumed the driver had stolen the car. The officer soon discovered that yes, the physician driving the car not only owned it but probably even paid cash and probably paid more in taxes than the kind officer made in a year.
You’re too kind. It seemed quite interesting that Activision Blizzard thought it worth banning the release of real life information on the forums, as part of their ToCs, and now they’re releasing everyone’s information simply because it suits their next great revenue generation plan.
Still, the response from the community has, in general, been quite astonishing and encouraging.
Sometimes the best way to say things is with brevity. I hope that Blizzard has thought through all of the ramifications before proceeding with their plan. No doubt they expected the outcry from those who frequent the forums but there are other considerations to be had. Time will tell if the policy goes forward. At least they have stated that the Blizzard posters will be posting using their real names as well.
Julie