Mojang has recently released their new name changing feature, and I feel I need to say something about it. If you've talked to me within the past few months, you will know that I am firmly against the addition of name changes. So today, I'm going to rant about why 1. You should not change you username and 2. Why username changes is the worst decision Mojang could have made. Let's begin... "What's in a name? A rose by any other name would smell as sweet?" Well let me tell you. There is a lot in a name. Names are not only used to distinguish between people, but also as a source of identity. When you choose a username, that username becomes a part of you. No matter what servers you join, no matter what community you are a part of, that username remains the same. Slowly, one will identify more and more with that name. That is often why the choice of a username is one of the most significant choices someone will make in their internet lives. When I first committed to buying a Minecraft account, I spent an entire day pondering over what my username would be. I knew that name would stay the same for the remainder of the time I played Minecraft, so the significance of that moment could not be overstated. This concept of the significance of username choice explains why (most) people will refrain from choosing a "stupid/inappropriate/funny" username. Of course there are always people that will choose the route of a less than significant name, however it can be accurately assumed that the population of people that do this is quite small relative to the population of players. However, with the introduction of names changes, the entire significance of usernames is lost. When people can change their username for free each month, there is nothing stopping players from changing their name to something like "PussyDestroyer69" for a month, because... well... YOLO. When usernames can change like this, not only do the names lose all their significance, but the purpose of a username is also lost. Just as names in real life are used to identity people, usernames are used to identify the internet persona of a person. Since it is much harder to identify someone over the internet by other means (in real life we know what people look like, what they wear, how they act, etc.), username changes cause a massive disconnect between people on the internet. Now, before I start sounding biased, I acknowledge there are legitimate reasons someone would want to change their username. Unlike real names, usernames often reflect the age or mental development of a person, so a username you chose when you were 10 might not be one you associate with as a 14 or 15 year old. Thus, I conclude my rant with a suggestion to Mojang. Yes, I know nobody at Mojang will read this. The only reason I include it is because I disagree with people who provide criticism without suggesting methods in which what is being criticized can be amended. Username changes should be available once for free on an account. This will ensure players who either made a mistake in their username or want to change it after having an account for 3+ years can do so. Any username changes following the first will come at a charge of $15 per change. This disincentives players from randomly changing their names to "inappropriate or foolish" names each month. Also, this effectively replaces the purchasing of alternative accounts while still providing Mojang with some revenue (which, let's be honest, is likely one of Mojang's top revenue streams). This suggestion would protect the value of usernames and ensure usernames complete their purpose, to identify people living in the interwebs. In the end, I'm not going to do anything server-side to stop people from changing their names. I simply ask that you think before you act. Does the username you are choosing accurately reflect you? Is the username something you identify with? And finally, if you had to, would you be okay with keeping that username for the next 3+ years? Thanks for reading this rant, BlueFusion12
I've already had my Topmass22 account for almost two years. But I really don't want to pay $15 just to change my username on servers with UUID's.
Blue btw some douche changed their name to BlueFusion21 xD I regret changing my name, I'm gonna change it back in 29 days. "PussyDestroyer69" --- BlueFusion12, 2015
I absolutely agree blue. I may not be absolutely satisfied with it, but this is how people recognize me, and I am proud of that
The only reason I changed my name was because it was a 10 yr old club penguin name.... that I have had for about 4 years now
