Xbox One Won't Allow Real-Name Gamertags at Launch

[Grouchy Imp_v1legacy]

Bloody stupid idea. A person's gamer tag is unique to a user that can (will) share the same name with any number of people worldwide.

Whilst I support the general idea of bringing personal accountability to the online world to prevent trolling and antisocial behaviour, this is not the way to do it.

EDIT - Just for clarification, I'm referring to Microsoft's initial idea, not their back-track on said policy as outlined in this article.

 

[Skrimmy]

What if someone's actual name is XxNwbXPwnr420xX? What then Microsoft? Seriously though, they seem to always be shooting themselves in the foot. Then, for good measure, shoot their other foot.

 

[Psychobabble]

You know there was a time when a product wouldn't be released until all the features were ready to go. Whatever happened to that?

Sony and Microsoft got into a staring contest, Microsoft blinked first ... and broke it's nose walking into a door.

 

[SilverLion]

Hey, Microsoft, you know what's a good idea?
DELAY THE LAUNCH OF THE XBOX FOR A FEW MONTHS!!!
Seriously, it seems that 90% of the XB1's signature features are not going to be available at launch. Who gives a shit if you have to release at the same time that Call of Duty's coming out? Delay the bloody thing for two or three months so that you can release a finished product. All this "not available at launch" talk just makes out the XBOX 1 to be rushed and slapped together to meet an arbitrary time limit. You know what Vale is notorious for doing? Delaying their releases. You know what else Valve is notorious for? QUALITY!!!
I'm sorry, but the XBOX 1 is not making itself out to be a viable competitor to the PS4 and Wii U. And Microsoft, this is not just something that the Escapist users have in common. It's something that people all over the internet- Hell, the gaming community as a whole, have in common.

 

[NiPah]

I think it would be funnier for them to require putting in your real name as part of your profile. Sure, there will be dissenters, but let's see if people will still act like fuckwads when they can't be as anonymous as they were before.

Oh they will still act like fuckwads, it will just be easier to track people, comment on their social websites, look up phone numbers to send harassing phone calls, instantly target female players in order to write sexually harassing comments, steal personal information, track family members for harassment, and other delightful things.

Any true internet stalker/troll/harasser knows tricks to get around programs like this, it will just be the less educated/new/younger players who will get pin pointed and harassed.

But yeah, maybe people will be nicer when they use their real names... Sure there is no actual data to confirm such a theory but it's probably almost common sense now right?

 

[Canadamus Prime]

You know there was a time when a product wouldn't be released until all the features were ready to go. Whatever happened to that?

Sony and Microsoft got into a staring contest, Microsoft blinked first ... and broke it's nose walking into a door.

If this problem was exclusive to Microsoft... I'd still have no idea what you're talking about.

So... what is available at launch?

Confirmed Xbone launch features:

- Kinect voice recognition*
- Skype integration
- Uses electricity**
- Has mass

* English only, regional accents not be compatible
** Continental USA only (excluding Iowa)

You forgot paper weight functions.

 

[CriticalMiss]

You forgot paper weight functions.

That probably comes under 'Has mass'. Also it's a paper weight experience.

 

[Something Amyss]

So basically what their saying is: Sign up under the name you use for character creation. Guess I'll be known as Michio Kimura from now on. (or Moriko Kimura, heh heh heh). Well I would be, if I was stupid enough to actually buy the stupid console.

Well, people already treat this as my real name, so I guess I'm set!

 

[smithy_2045]

Umm guys, Sony are also doing the whole real names for online profiles thing.

I suspect a lot of people are going to be bitterly disappointed by the PS4 when it finally rolls out and people realise it's not all that different to the Xbox 1. Either that, or they won't care because they're just hating on MS because it's MS, rather than any actual good reason.

 

[Amir Kondori]

So they are going to force real names only? Lame. What do they think they are gaining for pissing off the gamers that care about their anonymity?

 

[loc978]

Once this does come into effect on Xbox, Playstation, or wherever else, I imagine we'll see yet another spike in cyber-stalking. Privacy is there for a reason. Greifing and trolling are unfortunate side-effects, but they're less unfortunate than the alternative. I'll stick to my Linux box and no "social networking", thanks.

 

[Canadamus Prime]

You forgot paper weight functions.

That probably comes under 'Has mass'. Also it's a paper weight experience.

Also boat anchor functions too.

 

[lunavixen]

Yeah, definitely not, I don't even use my real name on youtube, i'd rather not be putting my full name out there that publically as I have an uncommon last name and would rather avoid the harassment.

Umm guys, Sony are also doing the whole real names for online profiles thing.

since when!?

 

[smithy_2045]

Yeah, definitely not, I don't even use my real name on youtube, i'd rather not be putting my full name out there that publically as I have an uncommon last name and would rather avoid the harassment.

Umm guys, Sony are also doing the whole real names for online profiles thing.

since when!?

Google PS4 real name.


From the sound of things, neither Sony nor MS are going to force real names to be used, but they're both intending to strongly encourage it (presumably in a similar manner to how youtube strongly encourages use of real names I'd suspect). Either way, unless you were extremely keen for real names for online IDs, it's ridiculous to attempt to try to spin this as being a positive for Sony or a negative for Microsoft.

 

[kael013]

I hope this option only comes up once during account creation. I enjoy coming up with aliases and nothing is more annoying than a company (like google on youtube) repeatedly going "Hey, that's a cool name you created for yourself there, but you know what name would be even cooler to give to random strangers? Your real name."

Also, why this sudden push for people to use their real names as their gamertags? I mean, Xbox LIVE (and I assume PSN too) has a bio page for your account that everyone can see, so if your wanted to give out your real name to complete strangers you can.

 

[KingsGambit_v1legacy]

I wouldn't use my real name on any internet service beyond the bare minimum of details on social networks. There needs to be an abstraction layer between the real and virtual to prevent Internet randoms finding out who or where the rest of us are.

If forced to offer a "real" name, I'd register as Mickey Mouse or Rodriguez Sanchez. Maybe Roderigo, that's a great name!

 

[Pebkio]

Is it me, or is Microsoft picking out the events that garnered the most hate, ever, in the past ten years and saying "There! We want to do all of that. All at once. For science."?

I would actually, kind-of, respect them if they were just being massive trolls.

 

[ChristopherT]

Why is this news? Why care? What does this change? From what I understand it would be an option, and therefore, people still have the option don't they? If for some reason you want you can still use your real name as your gamertag, and if you don't want to use your real name, you don't have to now, and you seemingly don't have to when the option is available. I don't get it, RoosterTeeth reported on this as well, what's next a news release that the XBOX ONE will continue to be spelled ONE and not 1 ?