Quote Originally Posted by zenga View Post
Code:
 Depending on the policy violated, your character has   either been given a randomly generated character name, or will be   prompted to select a new one the next time they log in.
...
If you’re interested in changing any of the previously inappropriate   character names to one of your choice, please do visit our paid   character name change service:  (https://www.worldofwarcraft.com/acco...nge-intro.html)
Finance to marketing: 'hey guys we need some extra $'
Marketing brainstorm: 'the paid char name service is less popular lately'
Marketing to GMs: 'guys, enforce the naming rules more strictly from now on'
GM to player: 'dude ur name sucks, we give u a name that even sucks more but feel free to use the paid char name service'
... player takes his credit card
Marketing to finance: 'see we can do it!!!'
From the email they sent me:
If you feel that you may have any additional names on your account that violate our naming policy, please submit an in-game petition with the name(s) in question. Doing so may prevent further actions on your account. Should you have any other names on your account that violate our naming policy and they are reported, the names will be changed and your account may incur further penalties. We will allow you a 7-day grace period to notify us of any potential naming violations on your account. Please take this opportunity to inform us of any further naming violations on your account so they can be resolved without further penalties to your account, by submitting an in-game petition on one of your characters that does not violate our naming policy.
They're giving me the opportunity to change any other names I have for free. This isn't an attempt for them to push paid name changes. They flagged me for a rename on the first offense, (which is the same thing they did to me a few years ago on another toon). The only incidents that I'm aware of where THEY choose your name is if you get flagged for a change, and you pick something else unreasonable or against the policy. I stupidly immediately chose "Satanworship" knowing full well it was against the policy. I wanted to get in game so people could recognize me and what was happening. People can get uppity when the GM suddenly has a name change. Once I realized Satanworship wasn't in my best interest (IE I'd get reported in a heartbeat and I wouldn't be able to pick my name this time) I went a head and spent the $15 on a character re customization. Sure I could have just spent 10 for the name, but I decided to go ahead and swap to female. Male priests have a very negative connotation to me, thanks Catholicism. So for me spending the $15 was a choice of I can do it now, or later when I GM renames me to hellokitty. I chose now cause I'd never live down hellokitty. And thanks to my raid team I'm now called whore anyway since they all fail at etymology of my brand new heretic name.