Hi,
So I was just trying to search the names I wanted using the website, and then manually checking to see if my realm is on the list. I noticed it wasn’t on one of the names, yet in-game it still says that the name is in use. Do not all of the names show up on the website? Is there a way to take an inactive name? (This is for retail)
Thanks.
Toons under level ten dont show up on the site.
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In addition to what Tolna has informed you, the only way you can snag a name that isn’t restricted by that error, provided it isn’t on a forbidden list, is to wait for the entire account that the name is on to be inactive for two expansions.
As the system is now automated, GMs are not able to release a name upon request anymore.
You can add the character to your social list in-game, and when you’re notified that the character no longer exists, depending on the circumstance, you can check to see if the name is free immediately, or after thirty days have passed.
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So then there is no way to get any of these names I wanted because I’m assuming people are just holding onto these names? That seems like a pretty big flaw.
First come, first served. The duration helps to account for people who aren’t able to keep control of their possessions in a timely fashion, such as military deployment or temporary homelessness, for example.
Pray tell, would you be thrilled if Blizzard yanked a name away from you that someone else wanted? A name that’s pretty high on your priority list, for perspective.
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I understand that, but if they are just level 1s that haven’t even been logged onto, that is a different story in my opinion.
They could be holding onto them for various reasons. Bank characters, nostalgia, waiting until other stars align for roleplay purposes, just to name a few possibilities.
It still simply boils down to the fact that someone else got to the name first, or it simply isn’t permitted in the game. Only time will tell.
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Folks make bank alts to use guilds to hold items they need stored. They’re not going to level them up. If you want a name, you can wait this coming or the following expacks and see if the name is freed by the system.
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I have a lot of bank characters under level 10. That is not a flaw and I’m entitled to those names just as much as you are and the alts see just as much activity as a character being actively leveled because of constantly posting on the AH.
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So far, the information that’s been provided here has been correct. I just want to mention that this system has been through a few iterations based on feedback we received and we feel like the current system does the best job of protecting names while still having some flexibility to make those names available in the future if an account remains inactive.
If you’d like to suggest, however, that this system be changed - you’ll want to create a post in the General Discussion forums with that feedback.
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I’ve tried to imagine a way Blizzard could set up a way for one player to ask another to give up a name in exchange for gold. You could do it at the account level so that even if someone rarely logged on to the desired one, they’d still see it. You could even charge the requesting player a fee in gold or real money or a token, to cover the cost of the name changes if the name holder agreed.
But then I figure the majority of name holders probably fall into two categories: playing regularly, in which case you’d reach them with an in game mail and don’t need additional help from Blizzard; and not even currently subscribed, in which case it wouldn’t matter how you did it. I guess Blizzard could send to their real world email, but how many people who aren’t playing would bother doing it just for gold that they don’t need? Alts with owners who are active but don’t log into the alt to get mail are probably a small fraction. So I can see why, even if Blizzard ever thought about something like this, they probably considered it a pretty low priority.
I also think they wouldn’t set something like this up without providing an opt out, and personally I’d probably opt out about the third time I got asked about a name I wasn’t willing to give up.
I think I’ve probably thought about this way too much. 
But if you, OP, think something like this would be effective and useful, you could submit a suggestion in game or in the appropriate forum.
The one thing that might help with this and that would be useful for other reasons as well would be if the character select screen would show when a character has mail. Pretty sure this has been suggested before. Think I’ll put it in as a suggestion next time I’m on. Although in my case it’s for the more general purposes, not because of the name thing (I don’t want anyone else’s name and don’t think anyone wants any of mine).
I’d put a hard stop here. Keeping it strictly to gold feels the best course, even if Blizzard were to develop a new service that allows two players to agree to the decision through official means.
On top of needing to develop a new service, they’d also need to rework the existing services to bypass the restrictions already in place.
Ultimately, it seems like it’d just be too much work to be feasible, given the market for this request is pretty minute, in the grand scheme of things.
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Probably. That’s basically what I was getting at by saying low priority. In a world with infinite resources, sure, why not, there’s probably a way to make it work. We don’t live in that world though.
As some have mentioned, one option is to wait for the mass name release that happens each expansion. Remember, these are only going to be character names on Battlenet accounts that have been completely inactive for two full expansions. So logging into just one character one time during the last expansion will protect all of that player’s character names on all his WoW licenses through the current and next expansions. So it certainly worth checking out what’s available, but just temper expectations.
Another option is using ASCII characters. Some people hate those, but I like them. Adds a little fun flair in my view. If, for example, I wanted the name Unavoidable on Stormrage, I could use the name Unavoîdable. Or something similar.
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It’s fine to use those except if the word is on the “banned” list. Using ASCII to bypass that is not permitted.
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What are you talking about? This is about a name he wanted that’s already taken. Nobody has suggested anywhere in this thread that the name might not be appropriate. And nobody has suggested anywhere in this thread that ASCII characters should be used to create an inappropriate name.
Calm down…
Ruffle is simply expanding on what you mentioned, as quoted…
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Ruffle is providing clarification for those reading, Pu. Kind of like you do when you jump in with additional commentary on subjects that are otherwise done with.
Telling you to calm down and helping to clarify someone else’s point, by the way, is not trolling.
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The clarifying seemed sufficient and helpful. The “Calm Down” jab seemed “inflammatory, extraneous, and upsetting”. To me anyway. That’s all.
Seemed a measured response to “What are you talking about” and the following text, but I guess we all can interpret things differently and sometimes miss the points and misunderstand the whys.
I don’t think there is much more we can get from this one so I’m going to lock it up.
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