Apple Game Centre: real names

[bohemiancoast]

As it happens, because I am an antisocial kind of soul, I have no friends on GameCentre. I do have friends on several other gaming networks; I'm BohemianCoast there too.

However, it turns out that to operate GameCentre, you cannot use a gaming name; you have to use your real name.

This is the second time Apple have pulled this stunt recently. I was all set to try out Ping, their music social network. And then I realised that, as a side effect, my real name would become transparent on all my App Store reviews with the user name BohemianCoast. So not going to happen.

So, sorry, I won't friend you on GameCentre. I may still use it, because I'm fond of achievements.

Why am I so precious about my real name on gaming networks? Duh, gaming networks! I do not care for my boss to know TEH AWESOME POWA of my leet skillz. Funny that.

Comments

[andrewducker]

It baffles me how companies can not realise that not everyone wants to connect every facet of their lives.

Facebook gets away with it because it's private-ish - you're only sharing things with people who you have authorised. But very few people are comfortable sharing their private lives with everyone.

[bohemiancoast.livejournal.com]

I'm really uncomfortable about it on Facebook too, and have dealt with it by simply not befriending any of my colleagues there. If only Bejeweled Blitz and Zuma Blitz weren't so compelling, I'd just not game at all on Facebook.

[eleyan.livejournal.com]

All proper superheroes need secret identities.

[ramtops.livejournal.com]

I'm quite miffed about that. I had ramtops registered, but now I can't use it, so sod 'em.

[kalorlo.livejournal.com]

Huh, you'd have thought they might have noticed the MASSIVE OUTCRY and subsequent stepping-down Blizzard had to do about the same thing...

Or maybe they just learned that you have to do it right from the outset :/

[johncoxon.livejournal.com]

Game Centre is a pile of wank, much like Ping.