Blizzard began to feel the heat from its fanbase after the company revealed that its new Real ID system would post real names on the forums. Although Blizzard said that it's listening to player feedback and will be monitoring how people are using the service, it will still be optional in World of Warcraft and StarCraft II.
"Players can continue to read the forums anonymously regardless of whether they choose to post in them, and their gameplay experiences will not change if they choose not to use the Real ID communication features in game," a Blizzard rep stated. He also indicated that players can enable parental controls that can lock children from forum posting capabilities and prevent them from using the Real ID system.
Strangely enough, players can use whatever name they want when signing up for Real ID, however the account associated with the name must be linked to a unique game CD key. The catch is that the names must be legitimate--no goofy or offensive names will be tolerated.
"We have multiple teams here who will be monitoring the forums and looking for inappropriate names," the Blizzard rep said. "When the situation does arise, our community and customer service representatives will investigate and determine if any action is needed."
He added that using fake names only hinders the company's ability to provide timely service. The Terms of Use agreement also require that players provide Blizzard with accurate information, as certain aspects of customer service rely on identity verification.
Real ID will be integrated into the StarCraft II forum later this month. The service is expected to invade World of Warcraft sometime around the launch of Cataclysm.
