I don’t think it is quite this simple. I believe after 2 years of the account being inactive, then the name(s) can be used. However, the date they are available depends on when Blizzard does an official mass release.
For instance, If Blizzard does a release on June 1, 2024, any names that met the qualifications on May 31 or before are up for grabs. Any names that meet the two -expansion qualification on or after June 2 have to wait until the next release.
I’ve never heard a blue mention this.
1 sub can keep 480 (60 x 8 accounts) names in reserve 
Bit of a downer. Just need to hope they forget to use the account for at least two expansions.
Also those times they gave free play for a weekend, I think twice during Dragonflight allowed inactive accounts to refresh / reset their timers.
Clowns, is the word I use.
Blizzard should bring out a new option that if I want a name that is already taken I could offer to pay more in sub fee and then that name becomes mine. And then if the original player wants the name back they have to offer Blizzard more money per month than I was willing to pay to get it back. And so forth.
Easy peasy.
just pick a new name, it’s really not that hard
You also have to hope they don’t log in on a semi regular basis on characters under level 20 as that resets it too.
And then a lawsuit would likely to be drafted. Both for unfair business practices and for extortion. “Pay more or else” as it were. While Blizzard could do much and many would probably roll over like the sloth about it… I think it would be both wildly unethical and illegal, and that a Judge would immediately look on it and go “Ahahaha. No.”
If the contract is nullified by a judge, for being unfair in business… that’s a VERY bad thing for a company.
There’s no need to do this. They only need to be active on the Battlenet account, not in the game.
So many possibilities. Mining Hardhat. Dontgo There.
The game would be utterly funny.
I have some naive & dumb questions…
How exactly do you do that?
Do you type it elsewhere & cut & paste the name in?
How are the special characters done?
I’d really appreciate your advice!
You can input them by holding alt and pressing a series of numbers. I google them because there are a lot.
[Special Characters — Alt Keyboard Sequences (oratory.com)](https://tools.oratory.com/altcodes.html)
So you start typing a name, then go to the list of characters, copy, then follow the instructions to insert the character.
I just use the Windows Character Map to copy and paste.
many years ago, there was an “accidental” name release.
it was deemed to be a bug.
yes.
yes you are.
pretty sure they moved from the “mass release” system, but am always happy to be proven wrong.
well… they’d need to log into the battlenet account in order to log in to the character.
Thank you
So you start typing a name, then go to the list of characters, copy, then follow the instructions to insert the character.
Thank you
I’ll never understand this complaint. I never come across a name taken ever. I just use the in-game name generator and boom done.
Its 6 months of no log in the the name the becomes available