PS4 will launch with real name IDs

Yes, you can use your real name on PS4 at launch.

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Although Microsoft plans on letting Xbox One owners eventually use their real names instead of their Xbox Live Gamertags, that feature has been delayed beyond launch. PS4, however, will launch with the option of using a real name ID.

Sony confirmed to Kotaku that the real-name option is exactly that: an option. "This isn't an all-or-nothing, named-or-anonymous proposition," the site says, pointing out that you'll still be able to play with your PlayStation Network ID if you don't want people to know who you really are.

Andrew Yoon was previously a games journalist creating content at Shacknews.

From The Chatty
  • reply
    October 23, 2013 10:30 AM

    Andrew Yoon posted a new article, PS4 will launch with real name IDs.

    Yes, you can use your real name on PS4 at launch.

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      October 23, 2013 10:54 AM

      Yeah but will they let us change our PSN IDs?

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      October 23, 2013 11:03 AM

      Hopefully your name will be tied into your credit card info to make it easier for hackers to totally F up your life this time around

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      October 23, 2013 11:10 AM

      Has anyone been really wanting to use real names?

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        October 23, 2013 11:12 AM

        I can't think of anyone who thinks this is a good idea

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          October 23, 2013 12:09 PM

          Nope lol, hell I don't even like how the 3DS uses my first name.

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          October 23, 2013 2:08 PM

          Forum moderators.

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          October 23, 2013 2:27 PM

          Back when the Battle.Net real name debate was raging, I remember Garnett Lee and Brian Leahy pushing hard for real names, as a source of accountability. Of course, as published personalitiesm they had less to fear about their real name being outed... because they were already known online and in the media as Garnett Lee and Brian Leahy.

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            October 23, 2013 4:52 PM

            [deleted]

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              October 23, 2013 5:06 PM

              [deleted]

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              October 23, 2013 6:43 PM

              it's pretty easy to observe on any random blogs that use FB comments, I don't see a reason to think gaming forums would be any different

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                October 23, 2013 7:26 PM

                I don't know, ESPN comments, while still shit, aren't as bad and aren't nearly as numerous as they were before they did the integration with Facebook. Part of that might just be that people don't want to link their Facebook account to ESPN's website, either way, it worked wonders.

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              October 23, 2013 7:36 PM

              people who always think that real names will introduce accountability forget about mob mentality. it works just as well (perhaps better) in the real world as it does on the internet, and yet people definitely have more accountability in the real world.

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          October 23, 2013 2:30 PM

          Blizzard did... temporarily

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          October 23, 2013 4:31 PM

          I don't add a lot of randoms to my list. it's mostly my close friends and I, where we'll use real names. The cool thing is it's just an option.

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        October 23, 2013 11:14 AM

        [deleted]

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        October 23, 2013 11:14 AM

        [deleted]

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        October 23, 2013 12:14 PM

        maybe not the average shack-generation, but the younger generation i could see easily buying in. they're even more interconnected than we ever were or ever will be

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        October 23, 2013 12:17 PM

        Yes, absolutely.

        Hell, I accidentally spelled my normal pseudonym wrong when signing up for my PSN account and have been using that ever since, so using my real name will negate that.

      • Ziz legacy 10 years legacy 20 years
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        October 23, 2013 6:35 PM

        Nope, it's annoying on Youtube too, keep asking me don't ya want to use your real name!?

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          October 23, 2013 6:45 PM

          Why won't google stop this or just force everyone to use their real name?

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        October 23, 2013 6:43 PM

        I wish it was only real name ID for any network play so people would be punished for being super racist assholes.

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        October 23, 2013 7:03 PM

        It's nice among people you know, but in general, hell no.

        I like the way Blizzard does it. Add by e-mail address/blizzard account, and you get the person's real name. Add by character name and they remain anonymous

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      October 23, 2013 11:17 AM

      Honestly I am kinda happy about this. Overall I don't say anything stupid when playing online, but occasionally I do have a habit of shooting my mouth off when I get to into the game. With my real name attached to my gamertag I will be more guarded in what I say in those situations

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      October 23, 2013 12:00 PM

      Great things will happen when a prospective employer Googles your name.

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        October 23, 2013 12:22 PM

        "This guy never beat God of War? Application Declined!"

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          October 23, 2013 12:49 PM

          How did this guy earn a silver trophy in Killzone at 2:30pm?? I thought he was working from home!

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      October 23, 2013 12:19 PM

      [deleted]

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        October 23, 2013 8:32 PM

        Just like you can on Xbox Live...sort of.

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      October 23, 2013 12:39 PM

      Why would you do this? When was this something people wanted? When I first read about this I was confused then as I am now. Can someone point me to some article or statistic that explains where this originated from?

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        October 23, 2013 12:44 PM

        Why wouldn't you want this? The whole "make up a fake name" thing for using the internet is, IMO, pretty played out at this point now that it's a pretty central part of most people's daily lives, and they are frequently using it not to hide in their basement, but instead to socialize and organize in the real world as well.

        I have no problem with this, and if anything, would love to see *everyone* on the internet forever identified by their real names from not until forever. Fuck this hiding behind anonymity shit.

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          October 23, 2013 12:51 PM

          lol

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          October 23, 2013 1:08 PM

          uhh

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          October 23, 2013 1:53 PM

          Oh? What about those people in a horrible job, country, or situation that can hide behind anonymity and find some help out there? You sure would fuck them over with your great idea.

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            October 23, 2013 2:18 PM

            I'm not speaking proscriptively, as though I think everyone should be *forced* to shed the veil of anonymity. And it's not like speaking anonymously was invented with the internet, people did it before and will continue to do it long after most people use their own names online.

            I'm just saying I'd absolutely prefer it if (barring reasons of safety) everyone just used the internet as the person they actually are, instead of constructing these false personas/names to hide behind. It made sense to me in the 90s, and even the 2000's, but no? It just seems weird to insist upon not "getting with the times", as this attitude seems far more prevalent among older internet users.

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              October 23, 2013 3:57 PM

              Statistics out of all 76 people named Vincent Grayson
              $90k Income Average
              68% Married
              49 Average Age
              90% Caucasian

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                October 23, 2013 4:59 PM

                do me next

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                  October 24, 2013 12:23 AM

                  Did you end up doing the "normal" campaign of Bad Company?

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            October 23, 2013 2:36 PM

            we're talking about video games.

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            October 23, 2013 8:24 PM

            It's a choice, people, RELAX.

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          October 23, 2013 2:37 PM

          it's not about hiding what I do, it's about keeping crazy motherfuckers from finding me

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          October 23, 2013 3:01 PM

          [deleted]

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          October 23, 2013 3:26 PM

          So then if you have the name 'John Smith' You're practically anonymous on PSN but if your name is Pippen Gobsmack you're probably fucked?

          Names have Jack Shit to do with anonymity simply because they aren't unique enough. In fact unique , made up names are a better method of identifying the person.

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          October 23, 2013 7:05 PM

          [deleted]

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            October 23, 2013 7:09 PM

            True. If it didn't mean losing damn near 50k posts, I'd switch. That's part of why I like initiatives like this, where your account doesn't change at all, you can just use your actual name now.

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          October 23, 2013 7:30 PM

          "played out" is played out.

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          October 23, 2013 8:29 PM

          Start the name change revolution!

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        October 23, 2013 3:55 PM

        Who cares! Here at Sony we give you what WE want! Weeee

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      October 23, 2013 1:36 PM

      4chan is not impressed.

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      October 23, 2013 2:26 PM

      I really don't have a problem with this. It's optional, for one thing. For another, I use my real name across a wide variety of social networks already and even on my own site, so I personally don't have issue with this.

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        October 24, 2013 4:26 AM

        Yeah I'd understand outrage if it was mandatory. This lets people do so if they want, and others keep their made up name if they want, too.

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      October 23, 2013 5:17 PM

      I'm Ok with this.

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      October 23, 2013 5:20 PM

      [deleted]

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      October 23, 2013 6:44 PM

      Of the people who are really against real names online, I bet 15% have legitimate concerns that make anonymity important to there web presence. 85% just want to keep there comment/porn/web history secret out of embarrassment.

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      October 23, 2013 7:05 PM

      [deleted]

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        October 23, 2013 7:29 PM

        This is the internet, of course it's a big deal.

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      October 23, 2013 8:16 PM

      the funny thing about this is that I already kind of used my real name for my PSN ID. Wish I could change it :(

      I went through a period of trying to use my real name for stuff on the internet. That lasted like a year or two and then I gave up.

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        October 23, 2013 8:29 PM

        Agreed...I've had the same PSN ID since before PSN existed...I created it when I joined the Playstation Underground way back in the day, when I got my first Playstation 2 broadband adapter, along with Twisted Metal Black, and soon after the original S.O.C.O.M. and Everquest. I've never been able to change it, and the ability to just use my real name is actually a welcome prospect after having been stuck with the same handle for so long. At least on Xbox Live I can pay $10 to change it. Still no word from Sony on whether we will EVER be able to change our PSN nicknames :-(

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          October 23, 2013 8:30 PM

          Sheesh...we're talking 2002...it's been 11 years!

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