EPTReal ID is no longer a requirement
http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=25968987278&sid=1
Hello everyone,
I'd like to take some time to speak with all of you regarding our desire to make the Blizzard forums a better place for players to discuss our games. We've been constantly monitoring the feedback you've given us, as well as internally discussing your concerns about the use of real names on our forums. As a result of those discussions, we've decided at this time that real names will not be required for posting on official Blizzard forums.
It's important to note that we still remain committed to improving our forums. Our efforts are driven 100% by the desire to find ways to make our community areas more welcoming for players and encourage more constructive conversations about our games. We will still move forward with new forum features such as conversation threading, the ability to rate posts up or down, improved search functionality, and more. However, when we launch the new StarCraft II forums that include these new features, you will be posting by your StarCraft II Battle.net character name + character code, not your real name. The upgraded World of Warcraft forums with these new features will launch close to the release of Cataclysm, and also will not require your real name.
I want to make sure it's clear that our plans for the forums are completely separate from our plans for the optional in-game Real ID system now live with World of Warcraft and launching soon with StarCraft II. We believe that the powerful communications functionality enabled by Real ID, such as cross-game and cross-realm chat, make Battle.net a great place for players to stay connected to real-life friends and family while playing Blizzard games. And of course, you'll still be able to keep your relationships at the anonymous, character level if you so choose when you communicate with other players in game. Over time, we will continue to evolve Real ID on Battle.net to add new and exciting functionality within our games for players who decide to use the feature.
In closing, I want to point out that our connection with our community has always been and will always be extremely important to us. We strongly believe that Every Voice Matters, ( http://us.blizzard.com/en-us/company/about/mission.html ) and we feel fortunate to have a community that cares so passionately about our games. We will always appreciate the feedback and support of our players, which has been a key to Blizzard's success from the beginning.
Mike Morhaime
CEO & Cofounder
Blizzard Entertainment
I'd like to take some time to speak with all of you regarding our desire to make the Blizzard forums a better place for players to discuss our games. We've been constantly monitoring the feedback you've given us, as well as internally discussing your concerns about the use of real names on our forums. As a result of those discussions, we've decided at this time that real names will not be required for posting on official Blizzard forums.
It's important to note that we still remain committed to improving our forums. Our efforts are driven 100% by the desire to find ways to make our community areas more welcoming for players and encourage more constructive conversations about our games. We will still move forward with new forum features such as conversation threading, the ability to rate posts up or down, improved search functionality, and more. However, when we launch the new StarCraft II forums that include these new features, you will be posting by your StarCraft II Battle.net character name + character code, not your real name. The upgraded World of Warcraft forums with these new features will launch close to the release of Cataclysm, and also will not require your real name.
I want to make sure it's clear that our plans for the forums are completely separate from our plans for the optional in-game Real ID system now live with World of Warcraft and launching soon with StarCraft II. We believe that the powerful communications functionality enabled by Real ID, such as cross-game and cross-realm chat, make Battle.net a great place for players to stay connected to real-life friends and family while playing Blizzard games. And of course, you'll still be able to keep your relationships at the anonymous, character level if you so choose when you communicate with other players in game. Over time, we will continue to evolve Real ID on Battle.net to add new and exciting functionality within our games for players who decide to use the feature.
In closing, I want to point out that our connection with our community has always been and will always be extremely important to us. We strongly believe that Every Voice Matters, ( http://us.blizzard.com/en-us/company/about/mission.html ) and we feel fortunate to have a community that cares so passionately about our games. We will always appreciate the feedback and support of our players, which has been a key to Blizzard's success from the beginning.
Mike Morhaime
CEO & Cofounder
Blizzard Entertainment
Blizzard has hit the first page on most web media, and not only game related media. Guess they didn't think it would be such a big fuzz. Bellow is a more comprehensive list of websites that demonstrates what effect this controversial move has had so far:
Center for Democracy & Technology -They are accusing Blizzard of doing this so they can sell information to other companies, as proof they point at Blizzards New Privacy Policy.
http://www.cdt.org/blogs/sean-brooks/blizzard-looks-chill-forum-speech-real-id
BBC News - World of Warcraft maker to end anonymous forum logins
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/10543100.stm
USA Today - 'WoW' studio Blizzard to require real names on forums
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gamehunters/post/2010/07/wow-studio-blizzard-to-require-real-names-on-forums/1
ABC News - Bye-Bye Trolls? Blizzard Forums to Use Real Names
abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory?id=11108240
CVG - Fans rage over Blizzard forum plans
www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=254846
PCGamer (UK) - Why Blizzard’s new forum plan is an epic fail
http://www.pcgamer.com/2010/07/07/why-blizzard’s-new-forum-plan-is-an-epic-fail/
The Register - Blizzard exposes real names on WoW forums
www.reghardware.com/2010/07/07/wow_forums/
About.com - WoW Real ID: A Really Bad Idea
http://antivirus.about.com/b/2010/06/22/wow-real-id-a-really-bad-idea.htm
Ars Technica - Blizzard: post about StarCraft 2? Use your real name
http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2010/07/blizzard-post-about-starcraft-2-use-your-real-name.ars
Gamespy - Blizzard to Require Real Names on Official Forums
uk.pc.gamespy.com/articles/110/1104456p1.html
Kotaku - Blizzard Forums Will Soon Display Your Real Name
http://kotaku.com/5580585/blizzard-forums-will-soon-display-your-real-name
Joystiq - Your real name to appear on Blizzard's official forums
http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/06/your-real-name-to-appear-on-blizzards-official-forums/
Inc Gamers - Blizzard Going Too Far With Real ID?
http://www.incgamers.com/Columns/94/blizzard-going-too-far-with-real-id
MTV Multiplayer - Blizzard Cracks Down On Anonymity In Official Forums
http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2010/07/07/blizzard-cracks-down-on-anonymity-in-official-forums/
TechEYE.net - Blizzard forces users to show real names: Internet security
they have heard of it
http://www.techeye.net/security/blizzard-forces-users-to-show-real-names
Product Reviews News - WoW Real ID System: Security Flaw Found
http://www.product-reviews.net/2010/07/07/wow-real-id-system-security-flaw-found/
ITWorld - Blizzard to share your name with angry video game nerds
http://www.itworld.com/personal-tech/113202/blizzard-share-your-name-angry-video-game-nerds
Voodoo Extreme - Is Blizzard's Real ID Safe, Or A Playground For Sexual
Deviants?
http://ve3d.ign.com/articles/news/55728/Is-Blizzards-Real-ID-Safe-Or-A-Playground-For-Sexual-Deviants
Examiner National - World of Warcraft Players WoWed by Blizzard's REALID
announcement
http://www.examiner.com/x-48234-Santa-Ana-Internet-Examiner~y2010m7d7-World-of-Warcraft-Players-WoWed-by-Blizzards-REALID-announcement
EuroGamer - Blizzard forums to require real names
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/blizzard-forums-to-require-real-names
GameFocus - Blizzard To Kill Anonymity On Forums
www.gamefocus.ca/?nav=new&nid=10091
Strategy Informer - Battle.net removes "veil of anonymity" on forums,
real names used
http://www.strategyinformer.com/interstitial.php?
oldurl=http://www.strategyinformer.com/news/8551/battlenet-removes-veil-of-anonymity-on-forums-real-names-used
HuskyStarcraft - Blizzard Forums: First and Last Names [VIDEO]
AusGamers - Blizzard Switching Forums to Real ID System
http://www.ausgamers.com/news/read/2926798
Australian Gamer - Blizzard decide to give out subscribers' real names
http://www.australiangamer.com/news/3239_blizzard_decide_to_give_out_subscribers_real_names.html
Zeroday - Is Korean Law Driving Policy at Blizzard?
http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/zeroday/2010/07/07/is-korean-law-driving-policy-at-blizzard/
MMO-Champion to add additional forum structure and bandwitdh to its own forums in case Blizzard actually goes through with it.
http://www.mmo-champion.com/content/
Spiegel Online ( one of the biggest german online newspaper)
http://www.spiegel.de/netzwelt/netzpolitik/0,1518,705406,00.html
What you did there, I see it - Accuses Blizzard to help stalkers stalk people over the net.
http://seewhatyoudidthere.com/2010/07/07/realid-changes-the-very-real-ease-of-stalking-in-the-internet-age/
EDIT:
I've given up on updating the thread of links, only reason I'll add new links if it is brings something new.
If the link simply just a general information that explains that Blizzard has made a change about the forum posting policy and nothing more then I won't add it. However if it brings up the changes from a perspective not yet already covered I might add it.
