No Real Name IDs on Xbox One at Launch… But Who Even Wants Them?

On the scale of things I didn’t know people cared about: real name IDs will be unavailable for use on the Xbox one at launch. Apparently there are people out there who would enjoy using their legal names in conjunction with ruining kill counts and otherwise ruining lives on Xbox Live. The feature is planned to aid players in finding their friends when playing on Xbox Live.

A Microsoft representative confirmed with Kotaku  that although players will be unable to use their real names at launch, they will be identify themselves and others through their Gamertags just like on the good ol’ Xbox 360 of today.

“While real identities continue to be part of our plans for the experience on Xbox One, at launch, customers will continue to search for friends using their Gamertags,” a Microsoft rep told Kotaku. 

Honestly, if I wanted someone to know my real name, uh, I think I would tell them. Admittedly, if used responsibly there are a few benefits of using real name IDs, especially when it comes to multiplayer gatherings where it’s hard to distinguish one xxXsephirothangelxxX from the next.

Otherwise it’s a fairly hefty privacy concern, especially since a majority of the Xbox Live players I found myself getting blasted by, I am convinced, are middle schoolers judging by their really odd use of profanity. As in, under 18.  While using real names for IDs would possibly cut back on the typical douchery you find when playing online, that’s not to say it wouldn’t further enable harassment, so good thing it’s going to be optional. 

Personally I’m not really in the mood to have some psycho sending me a bomb in the mail for ruining his kill count ratio or some other nonsense. At least when I’m using a unisex gamer tag, I don’t have to worry about creepers messaging me for pictures of my legs covered in grape jelly. I wish I was kidding. Either way, I’ll be keeping my gamer tag, thank you very much.

Either way is the shift to real name IDs a sign of times a changin’? Xbox exec Phil Harrison believes so, telling Kotaku that “…you will see a general movement toward more real identity on Xbox One and on Live in general.” Allow me to speak on everyone’s behalf here.

The PS4 launches in North America on November 15, with the Xbox One following on November 22. Both Microsoft and Sony plan to give players the option to use their real names on next-gen platforms.