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Make some space: Xbox One June update begins rolling out
Microsoft announced the Xbox One's next major update is available starting today, and rolling out globally across the week. This morning we were able to download the 296MB update, which adds external storage support, automatic sign-ins upon booting, real name options for friends, and the live TV feature OneGuide for users in Canada and Europe. It also removes the Xbox Live Gold paywall from a number of apps like Netflix and Hulu, as does the update coming to Xbox 360 this week. The headline addition is the external storage support, which lets you connect up to two 256GB-plus USB 3.0 drives to the Xbox One. You can also choose which of the drives is your default for installs, including the internal 500GB number. Not a bad addition considering current-gen game installs seem to often hit the half-century mark for GBs.
PS4 allows real names online at launch
The PS4 will allow players to use their real names online at launch, Sony confirmed to Kotaku. This is an option that isn't available to Xbox One players, at least not in that console's launch window. Microsoft said its lack of real-name support stems from the need to prioritize certain features. In March, Sony showed off the PS4's ID system, which grants each player two identities: a player handle and a real name. Real names are pulled from Facebook and accessible via name search, but as a default, PS4 won't display a player's true name. Rejoice, 420brobawlsxxx, also known as Barnaby Chester Jones III.
Xbox One won't support real name IDs at launch
Xbox One won't support real names at launch, so it looks like rockin' Xxsmokesmadheizenberg666xX is still in the cards for a while. Microsoft confirmed to Kotaku that search by Gamertags will be all that's available at launch. "Our teams are working hard to deliver a quality experience for Xbox One. This means prioritizing some features and sometimes postponing others for a later update," a Microsoft rep told the site. We've double-checked with Sony to see if real names are still planned for launch. [Image: Yuriy Vlasenko via Shutterstock]
Anti-Aliased: What's in a name
Earlier this week, Blizzard really got the MMO gaming community up-in-arms after the announcement of its latest Real ID feature -- your real name attached to all of your forum posts on its official forums. That's right. No more hiding behind a fake persona when you want to go a-trolling. But, with the transition to a "real name" system comes a whole slew of security issues, privacy issues, and comfort issues. Everyone has an opinion on the system, as well as their own theories on if the official forums are going to crash and burn or if the forums are going to experience a rebirth as people finally watch their tongues when they post. Blizzard is, essentially, asking, "What's in a name?" And, if Shakespeare is to be believed, there's not much back there. It's not the name that needs changing, it's the personalities behind them. It's less about the name, and more about what, or who, it represents.
Customizing and opting out of Real ID
This is not a discussion of the good (yay, crossrealm chat!) and the bad (boo, privacy fail) of Real ID. This is a guide for how to truly opt out of this feature and how to adjust the settings if you do participate in game. To be clear, everyone who does not have a parentally controlled account has in fact opted into Real ID, due to a security flaw. Addons have access to the name on your account right now. So you need to be very careful about what addons you download -- make sure they are reputable. In order to actually opt out, you need to set up parental controls on your account. This is not an easy task. Previous to the Battle.net merge, you could just go to a page and set them up. Done. Now, you must set up an account as one that is under parental control. Once your account is that of a child's (a several-step process), your settings default to Real ID-disabled. Any Real ID friends you have will no longer be friends. In order to enable it, you need to check the Enable Real ID box. Setting up parental controls: Go to the appropriate battle.net site for your region. (That link should take you there.) Push the Create or Manage a Battle.net Account button. Log in as normal. Click on Parental Controls, which is an option listed under Manage My Games. (And, if you're like me, you'll be sad that you are still not in the beta.) Choose the No - Setup Parental Controls button. Fill in your info as both the child's account and your own. (Why they make this distinction, I don't know. Parental controls always used to be an option for adults to manage their own game time.) You will receive an email. You need to save this email, because the link in there is the only way to get to the parental controls. Otherwise, you have to make Blizzard resend it. Click the link to get into the controls. Save Settings and then be told it will take up to 30 minutes to go into effect. That is how to opt out. How to optimize opting in is after the break.
