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Will RealID damage the entire MMO industry?
maplestone
Member UncommonPosts: 3,099
I realize some people don't see what the fuss is about RealID and it's still unclear if the protest will snowball into something that damages Blizzard permanently or is just a tempest in a teapot. But my gut instinct is that we're seeing a profound shift in the relationship between MMO publishers and customers. The forums change appears to be just the line in the sand where critics are making their stand - but the angst over the change in how companies view and handle the personal information of their customers has been building since the discovery of the alliance with Facebook.
Personal information is no longer something you can assume a company will protect - it's something they may be actively looking at as a source of revenue. It's a different kind of change than the normal nerfs and narfs that people get upset over. It's a fundemental change in the trust between customer and business. If a company as stable, respected and revered as Blizzard can turn evil, who can be trusted?
If you're one of the people who doesn't see the big deal, then ok, there's nothing to discuss here.
But if you're watching with horror or curiosity at what is happening in the WoW-RealID drama from afar, does this make you look at privacy within your own game(s) with a more skeptical and suspicious eye?
Comments
It could go either way. Many people love Facebook but Google Buzz caused massive outrage. We will have to see exactly how this change affects Blizzard before we can predict what changes it will have on the industry as a whole.
"Gypsies, tramps, and thieves, we were called by the Admin of the site . . . "
I think the people who worry the most are the people who behave the worst online.
Like the ones who start posts here after the ones on Blizzards site are deleted, or after their Blizzard forum account is banned for innapropraiate behavior/posts.. So alot of them come here to troll instead..
The more RealID the better.
"If I'd asked my customers what they wanted, they'd have said a faster horse." - Henry Ford
I think a lot of mmo's are watching this to see what happens. If Blizard gets away without without loosing the subs they have it will be headed our way.
Mark my words, some unstable individual is going to enact all our stalking/harrassment fears.
A few incidents involving law enforcement in the public eye might have them thinking twice about their new policy. A wave of worried soccer moms pulling the plug on their kids' subs won't do the company any good.
Which Final Fantasy Character Are You?
Final Fantasy 7
Well, a lot of people saw this coming with the whole Activision-Blizzard merger. Ever since then, a clear progressive path has been laid down by Blizzard and the company is fundamentally changing ethically, culturally, and the way it does business. Do not for a second think that RealID forums is the last step, it is just one of many into a higher vision the company has.
For many, yes it is the line in the sand. For others, it is not. But that line will continue moving until Activision-Blizzard has redefined the way not only the MMO industry operates and behaves, but the video-game industry as a whole as well. They are using the weight of their MMO, and overall development and publishing business to fundamentally alter gaming. We shall see if they succeed or not. Personally, I believe they will have short-term phenomenal success, but in the long run Bobby Kotick will leave a wake of destruction unseen in the industry prior.
The opinion of many MMO gamers is that Blizzard with WoW have done much more harm to the industry than good. So again, that line was drawn a long time before RealID. For others, it was sparkle-pony. For others still, it will be the next step in Acti-Blizz's overall goal.
WOOOW.. great post...
I don't know, I can't imagine it'll be something that takes hold in smaller MMO companies, or even larger ones launching new games. The amount of uproar already generated by this story has dwarfed any positive responses, and the last thing an MMO launch needs is bad press and community outrage from something that could easily be avoided without spending a cent.
The only way I can see it spreading is if it turns out to be a phenomenal success embraced by the masses, otherwise it'll be too risky to attempt. Even if it turned out that there was significant money to be made by selling player information, what's the long-term viability of that? As soon as players started getting burned by the practice, it'd irrevocably damage the studio's reputation for all current and future products.
I'm not sure I understand you correctly here. Your saying you dont have a choice in playing an MMO? This MMO in particular? Your actually being FORCED to pay and play WoW, and participate in the WoW Official forums?
My understanding is that you chose to pay and play WoW, sign thier user agreements in advance, re-acknowledge them every time you log in to play or read the forums. And by donig so you in fact will be giving them your permission to do exactly what they are going to do.
By becoming upset AND refusing to utalize your own rights to not accept this action, and not participate in this game/forum, is in itself crazy. If you dont want them to put YOUR real name on YOUR comments, than dont give them YOUR money to do so. The only person/people being forced to comply with this are those who chose to.
Of course I'm all for this RealID move - personally I believe you should never do or say anything you wouldn't do or say in front of your own mother. It's a personal integrity thing. You do the right thing because you know its the right thing, not because someone is watching you. And you dont do the wrong thing just bacuse you know nobody can see you when you do.
(DISCLAIMER - The use of the word YOU in the above post is not directed at any one person in particular, but towards those who fall into the category itself - there is no personal attack here, neither intentional nor implied.)
The difference between Facebook and what Blizzard is doing is that in Facebook in order to see someone's comments, you need to be on his friend list, while in the Blizzard Forum everyone can see your comments.
So if your boss, or your girlfriend, your classmates, your neighbour or your parents wants to know what you are up to, all they have to do is to google your name and they will see all your posts.
Internet is the place where people can be truly honest about any issue, but if companies will start displaying people real names in forums, everyone will start lieing in order to avoid controversy, they will conform................just like in real life.
If Blizzard is not able to deal with the forum mayhem then they should do like Mythic and shut the official forums and rely on fansites forums.
This is just a bad idea and won't deter trolls posting in their forums.
Actually what will do is to deter more level headed people who care about their privacy to post in their forum, giving way to all trolls who are generally too young to care about their privacy (for then regretting it when they get older, when their boss can track all those embarrassing posts they wrote 10 years earlier)
There is probably is some of that, I agree. But there are also many people, especially when it comes to privacy, who have strong opinions on principle rather than for self-serving grounds. I don't have a long history on this site, but I assure you, I am not someone who gets myself banned from forums (er ... *worries I just tempted fate*)
I'm a handshake sort of person - I don't read the fine print on TOS for games because since I'm not a lawyer I doubt I'd catch anything malicious hidden in them anyway. I take it on faith that there's common ground in common sense. But if I find that a major company's view of privacy is not my view of privacy, it forces me to question whether the common ground I believe exists really does exist. I suppose you could say I play tit-for-tat strategy, treating TOS like a prisoner's dilema game (if you're familiar with the classic game theory problem?)
If watching the RealID drama has triggered my "someone's betraying trust" reflex, what industry standards should I look for to rebuild my faith that a game protects privacy and customer information?
How about it's as simple as most people don't want Blizzard to provide the world with any unnecessary personal information for security reasons alone. No of course nobodies forced to play WoW but the fact that WoW is now going to display their players personal information for literally no good reason, was never in said "user agreement". People like to stay anonymous, especially over the internet and not just for the reasons you've named but for the safety of themselves.
People don't play World of Warcraft (an online role playing game) to be themselves most of the time anyway. Thats not what role playing games are for. If people wanted to socially network their lives they would go to Facebook not WoW. Thats the difference between a social networking site and a role playing game.
Most people go through life pretending to be a boss. I go through life pretending I'm not.
I think the Internet has provided too much anonymousity in the first place, empowering anyone to successfully troll any discussion or post flamebaits. In the long run, this wont stop trolling/flame wars, though this may help a tiny bit to be conscious of your behavior in public places.
Also I think this is taken way out of proportion, knowing only a tiny minority of users are really posting in their forums.
And for all those evil schemes of corporations feeding upon your personal information, they already own your data...
Edit: oh and see this
Actually no, Kaocan is not my real name, but there are plenty of places on the web that have my real name linked to that name. I do use it as my name on every forum I can yes, and i have yet to post anything on any of them that I wouldnt say to you or anyone else in person, and yes, in front of my own mother. That being a statement I doubt many can claim as true. I do practice what I preach by the way.
And as for 'posting a persons real name does not promote good behavior' I beg to differ on that. It's the same as driving down the expressway at 15+ over the speed limit. Everyone does it, and then they hit the brakes the very second they see the cop car parked on the side of the road. It's ok to break the law when they aren't being seen, but let there be someone around who can see them, who they are, doing it...thats another story.
So yes, I do believe that if you put peoples real names on thier forum posts you will cull the abusive bad habits so many have claimed as the norm on Blizzard's forums. And the reason for doing it is quite simply a matter of business for them. They are getting a rep as 'nasty' and abusive player base, and the forums are the worst out there lately. It is costing them money, and if this helps clean it up, and save them money, than they should do what they need to to maintain thier income. It's business.
(DISCLAIMER - The use of the word YOU in the above post is not directed at any one person in particular, but towards those who fall into the category itself - there is no personal attack here, neither intentional nor implied.)
This will be quite interesting in national terms.
In my country the broadband providers are forced to "block" (as in blackout DNS) services that are breaking our national laws (until now only copyright/pedophelia stuff).
Blizzards move may be (AFAIK definately IS) a violation of my country's "Basic Law" and/or "Law on Personal privacy". I am sure someone will raise the case and I will be sure to have some corns popping...
(Will be great to see politicians trying to explain why one class of lawbreakers should be banned when another is not
)
We dont need casuals in our games!!! Errm... Well we DO need casuals to fund and populate our games - But the games should be all about "hardcore" because: We dont need casuals in our games!!!
(repeat ad infinitum)
First I have to ask myself, why on earth does a company that specializes in providing a fantasy virtual playground want to use real names? I mean one of the main appeals to these MMOs is to get away from who we are and all the tedium that comes with RL.
I also have to wonder if their legal council has their head up their collective arses. There have already been some civil suits involving FaceBook and information and I fail to see how linking with them is a good thing compared to a limit your liability risk type of strategy.
People have lost jobs or been screened out of jobs based upon data on FaceBook. If for any reason I think my gaming persona(s) can be found out does not make me happy. Last thin any of us need is that physco from IG appearing in RL trying to kill you. Laugh all you want and their are already documented stalking and murder cases related to online gaming.
I think this is a fail course for anyone in online gaming.
I think Blizz is lame for doing this, but they are hardly breaking any laws. You are CHOOSING to give bliz your info, choosing to pay them, and choosing to post in their forums. In doing so you are giving them permission.
Simple answer then, dont use their forums, and maybe that is what they want?
I mean, they all monitor their forums for player critics and nerf any leaked information.
I would either stop playing their game or never post in their forums if any real ID data is published and can be googled.
Totally not kewl.
I think it's safe to say that if Facebook is allowed, this in theory is allowed too. There might be a question about how far they are really allowed to exercise the "terms of service may change" clause, but I don't think that legal nitpicking is really going to solve your core problem of trust. There's an old rule in business - if you have to consult the wording of the contract, the relationship is already broken.
Let's say for sake of argument you make all your challenges, you lose and you feel strongly enough about this that you quit WoW. How are going to trust any other company again? What can they say that will make you feel safe with them?
Oh I think you mix up NA/Canadian law with EU/European national laws? (Try googling "eu vs microsoft" for something that would be different.)
I am sure that Blizzard would be as "safe" as facebook if they have an option to choose "anonymity" and they ensure that all (EU) personal data are stored (physically) within the EU.
Just for clarification: In my country (and basically most of EU) any TOS or EULA that is limiting or degrading a citizens "rights" are considered null and void on those specific points. Shrinkwrap seals are NOT considered a valid and binding contract. (Most SW companies hate but silently accept this - hoping that the masses will not notice
)
And btw: Not currently subscribed to WoW so it is not seriously changing how I (personally) feel about the company.... ($20 glowing cashshop ponyes on the other hand....
)
We dont need casuals in our games!!! Errm... Well we DO need casuals to fund and populate our games - But the games should be all about "hardcore" because: We dont need casuals in our games!!!
(repeat ad infinitum)
Completely incorrect.
Giving a company information in order for them to bill you for a product or service is in no way, shape, or form, permission for them to publish personal information.
The only way it would be legal, is if the users explicitly agreed to allow the company to distribute such information. Slipping this into an EULA is not necessarily a rock solid way to uphold this either, as EULA's can and have been disputed and overturned when they are considered unreasonable. Forcing users to reveal personal information when it is not justifiably necessary could be considered as such.
The real sad thing is that whether it's right or wrong, legal or illegal, there will be a lot of people who will no longer be able to play Blizzard games because of RealID. Namely those who are in positions where their personal information must be kept confidential due in part to their livelyhood, such as people who are enlisted in the military, Security professionals (IT) with mid to high clearance, etc.
And of course there's the famous people who want to participate in these games without being harassed by rabit fans...
Overall, RealID is an extremely bad idea. Any good that could come out of it, is buried under a mountain of problems that it creates.