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.

[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.