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Gamers' real names
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Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: San Jose, CA
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Watching Summer Games Done Quick (so amazing; do it now!) and the Nintendo World Championships last month, I'm struck by the fact that competitive gamers and speedrunners never use their real names. Any idea why this is? Is it too embarrassing to be listed as "John Smith (aka speedgonzales)" or whatever?
Steve
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Celebrating 10 years and 4000 posts on MacNN!
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Administrator
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: California
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Gaming appeals to the child in us. But the adults don't want to admit to this. Or to those surprise headshots on the same team.
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Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Shaddim's sock drawer
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In the online world you choose your own name(s), and that's where gaming came from. Neo is much cooler than Thomas A. Anderson.
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"I have a dream, that my four little children will one day live in a
nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin,
but by the content of their character." - M.L.King Jr
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Games Meister
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Eternity
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Here's a parallel for you: People in Hollywood often change their names because of SAG rules.They still accept emmys and oscars under those fake names, rather than their real ones.
Your gamertag is your gaming identity. It's how you are identified as you gain prominence. It would make no sense to suddenly use your real name at the highest level because no one (who is interested) would know who you are.
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Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: San Jose, CA
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Originally Posted by Cap'n Tightpants
In the online world you choose your own name(s), and that's where gaming came from. Neo is much cooler than Thomas A. Anderson.
Not in 1990. I was at the original Nintendo World Championships when they came to New Jersey. Nobody was online back then and everybody used their real names.
Steve
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Celebrating 10 years and 4000 posts on MacNN!
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Posting Junkie
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: Cape Cod, MA
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Originally Posted by Cap'n Tightpants
In the online world you choose your own name(s), and that's where gaming came from. Neo is much cooler than Thomas A. Anderson.
Pretty much this. I have no problem telling people my name, but my gamer handle is another entity. Online I am "Fatty" my longtime online contemporaries know my initials and birthdate, my friends know my real name. Despite that if I entered a tourney it would be as Fatty, it's me as the gamer, not as the Carpenter/Mac Enthusiast/Love-making expert.
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