Freeing Up Names on Classic

[Gravebrook-grobbulus]

Cataclysm, soon to be Mists, badly needs a clean-up of in-use character names.

Traditionally, Blizzard marks names as inactive every expansion pack. Because of this, it was actually pretty easy to get your hands on a name that was niche but taken by someone who isn’t playing anymore: Adjectives, common names, stuff like that. I can no longer find the policy online, but through the in-game support menu you can find this:

Inactive character names are released in the main version of World of Warcraft when a new expansion launches-- though names for any of the World of Warcraft Classic versions aren’t included in the process. Because of this automated process, we don’t manually free up character names.

Source: In-Game issues → Character problem → Name in use

To my knowledge, World of Warcraft Classic in any version has never had a name free-up or clean-up despite still selling the Name Change service in the store. Classic servers are rapidly approaching six years old, and many servers have sustained populations of tens of thousands of active maximum-level characters, to say nothing of alts, people who quit, and other untracked examples.

There is a community council thread from last year discussing the issue. There was no response, and no change was made.

End name squatting, name selling, and beautify the shared space of WoW by showing me cool names and not thousands of characters who resort to doubling up on letters or adding accent marks.

[Timewavezero-mankrik]

The policy for classic, era, anniversary ect is that the account of said person(s) with the names you want has to be inactive for two whole expansions. Not the character, but the actual whole account.

[Gravebrook-grobbulus]

Day two. I’m going to keep this thread on the front page, it’s absurd that there’s no official statement or plan for this extremely normal feature of World of Warcraft.

@Timewavezero-mankrik

The policy for classic, era, anniversary ect is that the account of said person(s) with the names you want has to be inactive for two whole expansions.

Is this in writing somewhere?

[Xen-illidan]

Should have been there day 1 and you’d have all the names you want.

[Shadows-grobbulus]

It’s already been addressed. Blues have stated multiple times that only inactive accounts have their names unlocked.

[Clingy-illidan]

@Gravebrook-grobbulus

To my knowledge, World of Warcraft Classic in any version has never had a name free-up or clean-up despite still selling the Name Change service in the store. Classic servers are rapidly approaching six years old, and many servers have sustained populations of tens of thousands of active maximum-level characters, to say nothing of alts, people who quit, and other untracked examples.

Just by the way, they have done this.

Best thing to do is just check the names you want on a regular basis. Other than that, you’re out of luck.

[Lazerwar-dreamscythe]

Just and an x or alt code Legolas.

[Timewavezero-mankrik]

Yes. I have it from a GM message. If you want me to post here, I can.