I have a landline. I don’t have a cell phone and I don’t plan to get one.
I like to post custom groups like “Sinrunner Blanchy is up” or “the Dust Trader is in my garrison.” And players occasionally actually join my group for the intended purpose, and they appreciate the group. I won’t be able to do that now.
I suppose I could buy a physical authenticator from an online source, but I hate to do that since Blizz isn’t even selling them anymore and that suggests they are going to stop supporting them entirely.
If Blizz could make an authenticator that I could use on my desktop computer, that would fix it for me. The authenticator could be a completely separate thing from my game with the login credentials, right? Thus if hackers got into my WoW account, they wouldn’t necessarily get into the authenticator.
I don’t fully understand the security tech behind this, but if it is possible to make a desktop authenticator that runs on the same desktop as WoW, this would be good for me.
Edit: if the authentication service could call my landline and dictate a code for me to type in, this would work for me too. I’ve actually done this with other auth services; but this would probably a very small niche feature for something like WoW.
I know, someone with a gaming computer, broadband internet, and no cell phone. I acknowledge I’m an oddball and don’t really expect Blizzard to add an authentication feature that will fit my personal situation, when the mobile authenticator probably works for 99% of players.
The authenticator has exactly zero draw backs, and is just an added layer of security. You can run it on your PC, have a physical version, or run it on a phone.
There literally is no reason to be this much up and arms about a very minor change, which is designed to combat bots spamming the LFG channel with advertisements (Or compromised accounts)
You are not a victim, or being treated like a criminal, or having your gameplay “Down graded”
Either get the authenticator and get the ability to make custom text in your group, or don’t and make due with basic templates. (Which still function completely normally)
You people are making mountains out of a molehill.
I expected to get flamed for being a dinosaur, sorry you’re having the same problem but glad I’m not alone. If there are enough of us maybe they’ll make a desktop authenticator. I hope anyway.
You’re correct, this isn’t going to be a game-breaker. “Get the authenticator” is an expensive proposition for me, is all. (The physical authenticator would be cheap enough, but I doubt service for those will continue much longer so I’m not planning to get one.)
Cell phones are becoming more and more “necessary” and perhaps eventually I’ll cave and get one. A video game won’t be the straw for me though. (Especially since, as you pointed out, only one tiny feature of the game is dependent on it.)
Late to party. Apologies if this was answered already.
What’s stopping you from just starting up an Android emulator (BlueStack, etc) on your computer and installing the authenticator app there for when you do need to approve or enter a code?
I’m not very sharp with this sort of thing, if that’s possible I’ll do it, but another comment I read said that if you use BlueStack you have to enter a post-paid cell phone number for it to work with WoW authentication.
I don’t recall needing to provide a phone number for my authenticator app. (It has been ages since I first turned it on though so…) You sure it isn’t just for the SMS alert thing?
My question is why is there a need for two forms of two factor identification? Phone and Mobil are needed for extra bag slots are they also required for group finder?
So it sounds like a desktop workaround solution does not exist at the moment, AND if I got a physical authenticator I wouldn’t be able to use it anyway, AND a lot of players who want to set up new authentication but don’t have post-paid cell service are in the same boat.
It’s that last bit that makes me hopeful there will be some easement on this, because a LOT of people have prepaid service and postpaid is not an option.
You can’t customize the group info if you start a group, unless you have the authenticator. You can still join an existing group. You can still start a group that will use an existing template (e.g. start a group for a quest).
Complaining about having to have an authenticator is like complaining about having to wear a seat belt or having to lock your doors at night.
Fine! Don’t do it! You are going to get robbed eventually.
I was hacked before I got an authenticator. It was devastating, but I learned my lesson. Blizzard recovered my account, but all my characters and items were all jumbled up and messed up. It was horrible. I quickly got an authenticator and it’s been smooth sailing ever since.
I had a cell phone around 2001, it was a combined Palm Pilot and cell phone that was a precursor to today’s phones with the flat screen, but it wasn’t “smart” and it didn’t have “apps.”
I’ve had flip phones, which every year get more and more tricky to find and maintain (“we’re shutting down our 3G service…”).
Back in the day, as cell phones became more affordable, it was common for people to be having loud conversations on their phones in public with little regard for people around them.
These days, the verbal phone conversations are less common, but everywhere increasing numbers of people are buried in their own phones doing… something…