Thursday, May 22nd 2008
Microsoft Bashes British Gamer from Xbox Live for Registering with his Real Name
This story comes to prove what can happen if your name does not fit the standards. Last night, a British gamer was banned from the Xbox Live network, for registering with the RichardGaywood gamertag. From Microsoft's point of view nick names that violate the XBL policies are being removed immediately. You can't have a sexual term in you name. Yes, but what if the guy's last name is indeed Gaywood. His real full name is Richard Michael Gaywood. Do we have to change our real names so we can register and get permitted to access what we have paid for.
Source:
Kotaku
72 Comments on Microsoft Bashes British Gamer from Xbox Live for Registering with his Real Name
Oh c mon xbox live is a place for having fun !
Seriously, its wrong IMO not to allow real names but it really isn't that big of a deal either. Although, I shudder to think what names would be used if Microsoft didn't filter in any way.
Richard Gaywood is lucky his first name isn't Gaylord, they probably would have banned him twice as fast :)
I have a friend in college and his gamertag is his full name (minus his middle name)...I wouldn't be surprised if they banned the name because it had the word gay in it. :laugh:
Jonathan Coon and his tag was Coon1979... Boy do we have stories of people walking into bars in Baltimore yellin out his last name (he had to pull out his ID to prevent an all out brawl :laugh:)
It's sad really. Trying to make everyone happy all the time is a complete waste of effort...
Really wouldn't be so bad if they didn't charge you for changing your gamertag...
Like some of my friends:
- James Buymaiaz
- Carl Shualowed
- Bill Koksoccer
- Jhony Fortbahaint
Assuming he didn't use the service at all, will he get a refund?
Anyone who argues that consolers are better than a mouse kb combo has probably never played on a PC and has no idea what they are missing OR they are overwhelmed by all the key possibilities. llamas!
here's a thought. Don't pay to play and give microsoft the power to control your gaming experience.
He was not banned from XBL, just forced to change his name for free. Not the end of the world.
He wasn't banned from XBL, saying he was is a lie. He was simply told to change his gamer tag because his old one was no longer allowed due to new rules. Yes, it is his real name, but he real name includes a term that could be considered offensive to some, so he can't use it. It really isn't a big deal. People playing against him have no idea that is his real name, so saying it is ok just because it is his real name doesn't hold any ground. His gamer tag has to conform to the XBL rules, regardless of how he came up with it.
He doesn't have to change his name, his registered name has nothing to do with his gamertag. So the answer to your last question(it is a question, I don't see a question mark?) is a resounding NO, he doesn't have to change his real name to register with XBL, he just has to change his gamertag. There is a very big difference there.
I know of someone who had a last name called "Poepjes", which literally translated means something along the lines of "small pieces of shit". She legally changed it and hasn't had a problem since. Some surnames are just problematic no matter how you look at it. :shadedshu
There are many names with the word "gay" in them: Marcia Gay Harden, Lisa Gay Hamilton, John Gay, ... i could go on ...
In Portuguese, the word "bicha" started to be linked to homosexuality as well and now another word is used instead but, actually, means something else:
"Esperar na bicha" means "To wait in line" in Portuguese!