You used to be able to do a name change in the past where if the name you wanted was tied to another account, but that account was inactive, you could request it be freed up and you could then name change to your desired name. Does this still stand and how do I now go about asking for it with the changes in contacting a GM in game?
The release of names is now automated and happens after the account has been inactive for 2 expansions.
12 Likes
just to add it has to be the account that is inactive not the character with the name, so if they are active on another character the name will not be released.
7 Likes
Indeed! More specifically, the account must have remained inactive for the past two expansions. (https://us.battle.net/support/en/article/11226)
2 Likes
So I want to have a name thatâs unavailable, is there notification system for the name becoming available? Or do I have to just keep trying. If this is the case then I think a new method needs to be implemented
You just have to keep checking.
If youâd like to see a change in the current system youâll want to make a suggestion either using the in-game suggestion option or post on the General forums.
3 Likes
They donât do it stealthily. At some point heading into the next expansion, Blizz will announce the release of names. That way everyone gets a chance to log into their account to preserve their names and those who want names will have the opportunity to grab them quickly when the release date comes. Keep checking for that announcement closer to expansion release.
They actually donât do this anymore. They did for the first and possibly the second releasing of the names, but theyâve since changed how the system works.
For a couple of years now, the system has been setup to continuously monitor dormant accounts and release the names after two expansions of inactivity pass and does so on an ongoing basis. Thatâs my understanding of it at least.
Unfortunately, thereâs just no way currently to âtrackâ a name thatâs in use for when itâs released.
5 Likes
But thereâs a specific date where they do that purge. I know theyâve announced that date.
This is more or less correct, yea.
There is not anymore, no. I think itâs been a couple of explansions since weâve announced a name release âwaveâ. It was changed a while back to be a less manual process.
4 Likes
So how do you know when the release wave is going to happen? Someone back there has to press the button, right? Why wouldnât you want to tell people, âOk folks⊠next Tuesday weâre pressing the name release button. Get ready!â
Nope, itâs not a manual process now. You know a name is available to use when you try to use it and the game lets you do so 
6 Likes
But if the only criteria is inactivity for two expansions then that means on expansion day all those names automatically become available, right?
There is no âwave.â It is a rolling two-expansion window of inactivity for each individual player.
Maybe thatâs next Tuesday for Joe, two weeks from Saturday for Jane, and three months from next Wednesday for some other person.
3 Likes
So what constitutes exactly two expansions? Expansions are different lengths of time.
More or less. In the past, there was a specific date that we announced where we manually flagged all of the inactive names.
So if your character met the criteria, it was flagged regardless of if someone else was claiming it or not.
Thatâs not how it works anymore. The criteria is for the eligibility of a name, but the name is not actually changed when it becomes eligible.
Say your character name is Johnny
Old system -
Johnny becomes JohnAFE4C
You come back to the game and if you tried to login youâd be presented with a name change prompt - even if no one took the name. You might not realize the name is still yours to use.
Now -
Johnny stays Johnny until someone else tries to use Johnny
If you come back and no one has ever tried to use the name, itâs still yours with no additional steps involved.
6 Likes
Under the new system, is inactivity still at the account level and not at the name level?
e.g. The entire account needs to be inactive for some period of time, not just a particular name.
Account level
2 Likes
Everything is still based on the account, not the character.
4 Likes
But at what point exactly does Johnny become available for anyone to use? Is it on the drop date of the 2nd expansion since Johnnyâs bnet account has been inactive?