**Update:** [Blizzard has backed off from requiring real names on their official forums][backed].
[backed]: http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=25968987278&sid=1 “Regarding real names in forums”
[Blizzard’s new ReadlID requirement][realid], which requires WoW forum users to post using their real first and last names, is not a popular idea. Apparently the company are running with it, though, and to show how completely safe it is, [a Blizzard employee posts his own real name][link]. You can guess this has gone badly for him.
My personal theory is that if this goes into effect, it’ll be at most 24 hours before someone is physically menaced, injured, or worse, due to the new rule. This doesn’t mean I hope it doesn’t last, it just means that WoW’s userbase, and online games userbases in general, are festering cesspools full of racist, sexist, homophobic, violent, jerks.
**Update:** Micah has apparently already taken his own Facebook account, which formerly lived at [http://www.facebook.com/micah.whipple][fb]
[fb]: http://www.facebook.com/micah.whipple “Micah Whipple’s Facebook Account”
[link]: http://wowriot.gameriot.com/blogs/Americans-are-bad-at-games/Real-Names-on-the-Official-Forums-New-REAL-ID-function?gr_i_ni “WoW Riot | WotLK, Wrath of the Lich King, WoW, World of Warcraft, Arena Season 5”
[realid]: http://us.battle.net/realid/ “RealID”