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Blizzard and this authenticator crap

If you haven’t heard yet, Blizzard is looking at making authenticators mandatory. When I first heard about this from Syp, my first reaction was “wtf?” I mean, really, not only do new players have to buy the game, pay the sub cost, but now they also have to go on the website and buy an extra $6.50 authenticator too?

Now, really, I get that Blizzard spends a lot of money restoring hacked accounts. I understand that authenticators really aren’t that expensive, and do a lot to secure you. But, you know what? Keeping your account secure is the user’s responsibility. If you’re taking risks and being loose with your password, getting hacked might teach you a good lesson about computer security. It’s not up to Blizzard to put their iron hand down and force an extra purchase on anyone. I pay to play the game, not to buy some extra dongle because it’s “for my own good.”

I’ll make the choice what’s good for me and, if I get hacked by not using their paid “extra,” then it’s on me. Any adult should be able to accept that. And, honestly, I’m not down for having to pay extra because someone else had problems with their account. I’ll take care of me and you take care of you.

And, sorry, I don’t feel bad for Blizzard because they have to pay a lot to do account servicing. That’s part of having the most popular game on the internet. Taxing the player to compensate isn’t cool. I get enough of that from the NYS government without my game company hopping on the bandwagon.

Right now, this is all speculative but you know why I’m buying in?  This. Players without authenticators are officially second class citizens. This move says it clearly: if you don’t have an authenticator, prepare to get screwed over. Let’s get something straight, Blizzard is a company out to make money, no different than my cable company. The difference? Blizzard is shilling off their responsibility to their players. If you don’t have an authenticator, you’re not worth as much time as a player that does. Great. If my cable got tapped into, or the heating for my house got messed up in the pipeline, those companies would come out and take care of it, at cost to themselves, because I am their customer and it’s their responsibility to me. I pay Blizzard money for a package of services, including game play and support. Support just got cut in the worst possible circumstance for the player.

And why?  Because isn’t paying an extra $6.50 better? Great customer service guys. Way to love the community the way they love you. Let me help sign Ozzy’s check for you.

How about this guys, make it mandatory for Cataclysm enabled accounts only and ship it with the box. We’re paying $50 anyways, if you’re going to force something on players, the right thing to do is make sure they get it without pickpocketing them in the process. And really, the accounts worth stealing will be the max levels ones anyways. Cut them out of the equation, and you’re all the better.

I’ve given my rant and given my solution. Now, let’s see Blizzard step back from the role of “greedy bastards” please.

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