Is it possible to change my forum name? When I created my account I was under the impression that it was random, and I was really eager to just dive into the game and didn’t give it to much thought.
So again, is it possible? Doubt it is but thank you regardless
First, for any support issue, please always use the Search Engine, because we often have dozens of dozens of threads asking the same thing, and it’s just more efficient for you to get your answer right away!
Here are FAQs about changing names of various kinds:
I want to change my email address/log-in name:
I want to change my character name
I want to change my display name
More about Display Name Changes
There are very good reasons why we do not offer the changes as a service at this time. It’s important in any game — and especially in an MMO with the high number and visibility of player interactions — to create a “personal history” for an account. I don’t mean your in-game “personal story” but a history of your account as viewed in the game.
If we allow changes of display names, a person who has been harassing another player will be hidden from that victim’s sight. A person who has built up a reputation for cheating, or botting, or doing other breaches of the UA, becomes invisible to those players who were aware of the issue and were awaiting action on the matter. Several other factors of “individual accountability” can be negated by simply hiding behind a new display name.
I take on board things like typos in making a name. But assessing the difference between a change and a correction can be difficult, and at this time, we’re holding firm on the “no changes” policy. There are two reasonable exceptions:
Some of the same arguments about display name changes also applied to character names, but as you know, we made that option available when the feature could be properly developed. At some point we may make a feature available that allows a player to change his/her display name, but if we do, I am confident it will take into consideration all the risks of those changes, and address them effectively.
In the meantime, and with all due respect, we will decline to change display names unless they involve one of the two exceptions cited above.
When I was first signing up to GW2 for the Betas, I was unfamiliar with the Display name system, that we would have an account name, and a display name. So I made the mistake of using my full name for my display name.
At first this didn’t bother me too much. But I became more and more uncomfortable with that fact that anyone could add me and know my full name. I know it’s not as bad as using say your email address, but if it is at all possible for me to change this to keep my identity to myself, that would really help me make up for my mistake.
Thanks for your time.
Yes we can help you. Please contact Support by filing a ticket through the “Ask a Question” tab on that linked page. They will be able to assist you. For tips on what information to provide in a ticket, please read this post and provide as much as possible to expedite the ticket.
We do not offer display names changes upon request. They are only offered if there is a potential problem, such as displaying one’s real name on the forums. (We consider that a privacy issue.)
Allowing players to change their display names carries with it potential risks to the community at large, and it is not something that is currently being worked on. This option may be offered in the future, it’s hard to predict. However, at the present time, we are happy that with today’s build a player may purchase a Name Change Contract through the Gem Store and change a character’s name.
My friend just purchased the game but used the wrong email
one he no longer has the password too.
since he cant get into his email and get the serial code he cant play
what can he do?
we submitted a ticket yesterday but no go
Can you give me the 12-digit ticket number? I feel sure we can help with this.
it was resolved
thank you very much
he got his nero to 12 last night with me
KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK GUYS
So nice of you to update — thanks a bunch! And I’m glad to know that everything is just fine now.
First, please always use the Search Engine, because we have dozens of dozens of threads asking the same thing, and it’s just more efficient for you to get your answer right away!
I want to change my email address/log-in name:
I want to change my character name
I want to change my display name
Please go ahead and contact Support by filing a ticket through the “Ask a Question” tab on that linked page. They will be able to assist you. For tips on what information to provide in a ticket — mostly intended for security reasons to establish that you own the account — please read this post and provide as much as possible to expedite the ticket.
Hey GW2
My hotmail was hacked and now i am setting all my profiles to my new email.
However i dont seem to be able to change my email.Can anyone help me?
Greetings
Diamondcore
We can help. Please contact Support by filing a ticket through the “Ask a Question” tab on that linked page. They will be able to assist you. For tips on what information to provide in a ticket — mostly intended for security reasons to establish that you own the account — please read this post and provide as much as possible to expedite the ticket.
It is true that at the present time — and for the foreseeable future — we do not have a feature that allows display name changes. This may be something we offer in the future, but it is not currently in development or even, as far as I know, in the planning stages.
Personally, I love AP’s suggestion. I thought the same when I saw the name, too!
First, for any support issue, please always use the Search Engine, because we often have dozens of dozens of threads asking the same thing, and it’s just more efficient for you to get your answer right away!
Here are FAQs about changing names of various kinds:
I want to change my email address/log-in name:
I want to change my character name
I want to change my display name
It seems you do want to change your log-in name, that is, the email address associated with the account. Go ahead and contact Support by filing a ticket through the “Ask a Question” tab on that linked page. They will be able to assist you. For tips on what information to provide in a ticket — mostly intended for security reasons to establish that you own the account — please read this post and provide as much as possible to expedite the ticket.
When I was first signing up to GW2 for the Betas, I was unfamiliar with the Display name system, that we would have an account name, and a display name. So I made the mistake of using my full name for my display name.
At first this didn’t bother me too much. But I became more and more uncomfortable with that fact that anyone could add me and know my full name. I know it’s not as bad as using say your email address, but if it is at all possible for me to change this to keep my identity to myself, that would really help me make up for my mistake.
Thanks for your time.
Yes we can help you. Please contact Support by filing a ticket through the “Ask a Question” tab on that linked page. They will be able to assist you. For tips on what information to provide in a ticket, please read this post and provide as much as possible to expedite the ticket.
Dreamstrom, if you purchased your account fairly recently and don’t mind losing it, I think you can apply for a refund. Once you obtain it, you recreate a new account. This way you can type the display name correctly. This is the only way I see you fixing the name. I think it’s fair since the help desk can’t help you, so help yourself. Cheers
Oh, also, if you can prove to them that your first name is Dream and your last name is Strom, they can change it for you. I believe the feature is already in place they just don’t allow us to change it ourselves but they will change it for you in that circumstance.
Be aware that if one gets a refund, the account is permanently closed AND the credit card associated with it is disabled and may not be used in the future in any purchases related to Guild Wars or Guild Wars 2 (or any other NCsoft game). This means that it may not be possible to simply get a refund and start a new account.
We have no idea why, but this post — created 24 May — somehow became dated 11 May. Our forum administrator is aware and will investigate that issue. In the meantime, I’m posting to get this back to the top, because it contains info that I think players will want to know!
We do not offer display names changes upon request. They are only offered if there is a potential problem, such as displaying one’s real name on the forums. (We consider that a privacy issue.)
Allowing players to change their display names carries with it potential risks to the community at large, and it is not something that is currently being worked on. This option may be offered in the future, it’s hard to predict. However, at the present time, we are happy that with today’s build a player may purchase a Name Change Contract through the Gem Store and change a character’s name.
Due to forum issues, I must bump this again to get it up to the first page.
Is funny, the suport that they give me is send me 4 times an email like this…
Your recent incident update was from an email address not associated
with the incident. In an effort to maintain the security of
information, we cannot update the incident using this email address.
If you are the incident owner and your email address has changed, or
you want to be able to update the incident using this email account,
please update your contact information using the following link, then
resubmit your update.
As you can imagine, unscrupulous people will write Support saying, “Hey my account is XYZ and I need you to give me access,” or “I want you to change Account Name A to Account Name B.” These are both ways that your account could be stolen, if we were to do that without verifying ownership.
That is why you’re being asked the questions, and that is why we really need to have the answers. Thanks for understanding.
What if we own 2 guildwars 2 account? Because i bought 2 guild wars 2 copy with 2 seperate keys one was for me and one was for my friend so i was wonder since my friend quit the game does the account still count as minds sincei bought them both? i have both the game copy with me and the keys as well to prove it. also i used a yahoo.email on my account so is it possible to change that email later on, if yahoo doesnt work cuzi read the first post from this thread abut yahoo email not working after augst.
The person who registers the account usually is considered the account owner. You are welcome to discuss your specific case with Support and they can give you the info you need about the accounts you’re concerned about.
My friend just purchased the game but used the wrong email
one he no longer has the password too.
since he cant get into his email and get the serial code he cant play
what can he do?
we submitted a ticket yesterday but no go
Can you give me the 12-digit ticket number? I feel sure we can help with this.
it was resolved
thank you very much
he got his nero to 12 last night with me
KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK GUYS
So nice of you to update — thanks a bunch! And I’m glad to know that everything is just fine now.
If you have questions about names, please read the initial post in this thread: https://forum-en.guildwars2.com/forum/support/account/Log-in-Account-Name-Questions-Please-read-merged/first#post2087181
Thank you.
First, please always use the Search Engine, because we have dozens of dozens of threads asking the same thing, and it’s just more efficient for you to get your answer right away!
I want to change my email address/log-in name:
I want to change my character name
I want to change my display name
I would like folks to see this thread, but I’m hesitant to make another sticky. So here’s a post to move it back to Page 1.
Please go ahead and contact Support by filing a ticket through the “Ask a Question” tab on that linked page. They will be able to assist you. For tips on what information to provide in a ticket — mostly intended for security reasons to establish that you own the account — please read this post and provide as much as possible to expedite the ticket.
Hey GW2
My hotmail was hacked and now i am setting all my profiles to my new email.
However i dont seem to be able to change my email.Can anyone help me?
Greetings
Diamondcore
We can help. Please contact Support by filing a ticket through the “Ask a Question” tab on that linked page. They will be able to assist you. For tips on what information to provide in a ticket — mostly intended for security reasons to establish that you own the account — please read this post and provide as much as possible to expedite the ticket.
It is true that at the present time — and for the foreseeable future — we do not have a feature that allows display name changes. This may be something we offer in the future, but it is not currently in development or even, as far as I know, in the planning stages.
Personally, I love AP’s suggestion. I thought the same when I saw the name, too!
This is not an issue but rather a question, and since i couldnt find any releveant place to post this i decided to post it here. Forgive me if this is not where it is suppose to be, but i wanted to know is it possible to change your account name. I ask this because my account name is not relevant to my character that i own in game, hacked issues, and therefore would like to change it to a character that i do own.
An example would be in guild roster there is a name in grey next to the currently online player. I would like to change that grey name to a character that i do own.
Do you mean your display name or your account (log-in) name?
Quite a few posts sprang up on this topic, so I merged them into this thread. You’ll likely find your answer in the first post.
We’ve seen a few threads about display name changes, so I will add some information in the first post on this thread and in addition, want to post it here:
To those asking for changes to the Display Name: There are very good reasons why we do not offer the changes as a service at this time. It’s important in any game — and especially in an MMO with the high number and visibility of player interactions — to create a “personal history” for an account. I don’t mean your in-game “personal story” but a history of your account as viewed in the game.
If we allow changes of display names, a person who has been harassing another player will be hidden from that victim’s sight. A person who has built up a reputation for cheating, or botting, or doing other breaches of the UA, becomes invisible to those players who were aware of the issue and were awaiting action on the matter. Several other factors of “individual accountability” can be negated by simply hiding behind a new display name.
I take on board things like typos in making a name. But assessing the difference between a change and a correction can be difficult, and at this time, we’re holding firm on the “no changes” policy. There are two reasonable exceptions:
Some of the same arguments about display name changes also applied to character names, but as you know, we made that option available when the feature could be properly developed. At some point we may make a feature available that allows a player to change his/her display name, but if we do, I am confident it will take into consideration all the risks of those changes, and address them effectively.
In the meantime, and with all due respect, we will decline to change display names unless they involve one of the two exceptions cited above.
It seems you do want to change your log-in name, that is, the email address associated with the account. Go ahead and contact Support by filing a ticket through the “Ask a Question” tab on that linked page. They will be able to assist you. For tips on what information to provide in a ticket — mostly intended for security reasons to establish that you own the account — please read this post and provide as much as possible to expedite the ticket.
Just contact support and explain to them that you made a mistake on your Display Name and would like to repurchase the game after a refund so you can make a new one(since you can’t change it yourself). They might not flag your CC if you explain. If they do, don’t you have more than 1 CC?
I would strongly suggest against this method. It is misuse of a system for something it ins’t intended for. You are basicly saying that the game is bad and you made a mistake buying it and then directly buying it again.
The displayname is often more a big thing for the person then for the people around them. Besides that, they are looking in ways of offering you and others a good and solid way to do this in the future.
A feature which btw may never come.
I always thought the refund was there for satisfaction guarantee or something. If the OP is not satisfied because he’s bothered by the Display Name, I think it’s a valid reason.
No it absolutely is not a valid reason, and the account will be irrevocably closed. Any achievements or acquisitions will be lost, names will be lost, and if a GW account is linked, that HoM will be lost forever as well. Please do not suggest this again.
- snip suggestions -
Thank you, but I thought I should mention that every one of your suggestions has been discussed over the last year or so. In my ideal world, display name changes would be a Gem Store purchase, would be infrequent or one-per-customer, and would not be allowed for accounts that had sustained significant infractions. So yes, we’ve already thought through these and many other elements and if the feature comes to be, the team responsible for its design is well aware of the various permutations of what we should offer.
I’ve merged name questions again. Please read my posts in this thread for your answers. (And if you search “Name” in the future, you should find this thread, to avoid us hosting and answering a mass of posts on the same topic.)
I have created an account under a certain email address that will no longer be available in the near future. Is there a way to keep the account name as is but have all correspondence sent to my new email address?
Also, I have a 2 other accounts (for my kids…mostly). Is there a way to link them all to a single email address? I see that there is a Link to Account but I think that is for GW1 people to link to their GW2 accounts.
Thanks.
Each Guild Wars 2 account must have a unique email address. The only thing it could share, in the Guild Wars spectrum, is a single Guild Wars email address. It would not be possible for us to link three GW2 accounts to a single address.
If you wish to change your email address, and if you find you are not able to do so yourself, please contact Support by filing a ticket through the “Ask a Question” tab on that linked page. They will be able to assist you. For tips on what information to provide in a ticket — mostly intended for security reasons to establish that you own the account — please read this post and provide as many suggested details as possible to expedite the ticket.
Hello! I have tried to change my character name to another name, but the name that i want is unavablie because someone else is using this name. I have tried to contact this person and ask if he/she would be fine with changing the name, but he/she has not been online since I decided to change my name and that was about 5 months ago. I have checked every day if he/she was online. Im suspecting that he/she don’t play the game any more. Is it possible to get the name and if possible, what should I do?
Hello My name is Joel. I have a question about changing my players name. I am aware that you need a name change contract but the name I like “Goreville” appears to me taken. I have tried to contact the person who has this name and I was wondering if the account is dormant is there any chance i could acquire the name. Thank you for your time.
I like the ideas that other players have presented you in this thread. I suggest you choose an alternative name, a variant, for we cannot give away someone’s name, even if the account is somehow dormant. Nor can we assure that a name swap will work because even if two parties are willing, the name reservation system, and the fact that names go back into “the pool,” makes such arrangements a player-to-player agreement, and we will not be able to intercede or assist in any way.
Gaile, this may seem a silly question, but would asking for my account name to be modified from VOLKON.1290 to Volkon.1290 fall under the “we can’t do that” category? I’m not sure how I wound up with all caps, but I feel like I’m yelling at myself and everyone else. :P
Thanks!
That is not a service that we can offer. There are many people with all-cap names, so please don’t worry about it.
So many questions can be answered with a review of this single thread, so I’m moving it to the front page again. ~invokes dev privilege~ 
This is a useful thread that I want to move to the front so I can merge other posts into it.
Excuse unnecessary comments here.
If your name is Fred Player, and your display name is Fred Player, we consider that a security risk, and we will help you change your Display Name.
If your name is Mary Gamer and you use M Gamer, that’s not nearly specific enough to be considered a security risk. Nor is using the first or last name, alone, like Knut, Pierre, or Bart or Jones, Lopez, or Schmidt.
We get quite a few Display Name change requests that we cannot support:
I hope that this information helps you understand our policy and our practices in relation to Display Names.
Kaida — I have noted that you’ve posted in three different threads about this. At this time, the place where you should post your input or questions is the Tickets for Review thread, in which you posted early this morning, Pacific time. However, you posted a ticket number unrelated to the topic, a request you’ve made with your second account. Please update your post (do not post again) in the Tickets for Review thread to give the correct ticket number.
Please await and update there. Posting in other threads is unnecessary.
Thank you for understanding.
I was just doing as I was told to, but I thank you for your replies Gaile, I appreciate your time, and THANKYOU very much for pointing out my copy and paste fail with the ticket number !- It should hopefully be the correct one now (I hope) XD
Though you’ve kind of made me a bit afraid to post on the forum now, I do have one last question to which I couldn’t find an answer to on the support, search or google and I’m afraid to make a thread for it now.
Is it possible to get an account completely deleted?
Or is the only thing equivalent to this when an account is permenantly banned/suspended?
Posting in the forums is perfectly fine, but we ask for a single post to reduce the redundancy of repeated reviews/read throughs of the same issue. No worries about forum participation.
If you could direct your question about account closure in the ticket, that would be most helpful. Thank you.
- I want to prevent someone from seeing me. Players may desire a display name change for personal reasons. For instance, they once were friends with someone and now wish to stop interacting. Or they claim they are being “stalked” by another player. Changing for such personal reasons is not supported. More importantly: If we completely change your Display Name, people who once had you on their Friends or Blocked list still will be able to identify you. There is no way to “reset” an account and wipe its history. If someone knows the old Display Name they’ll simply see the new one. (I believe that the system is designed this way to prevent people from losing their contacts if they have to change their Display Name for a genuine security issue.)
To address this particular problem, wouldn’t the easiest solution be to appear as permanently offline to people one has on their block list? I’ve always found the lack of this to be a bit odd! One could opt to go invisible, of course, but only after logging completely into the game, hiding their status from everyone, and rendered unable to communicate with their guild.
I feel there should be some room for stalker control without having to go to such an extreme. :c
You ask a valid question, Mokai, and I’ll see if I can learn more about this suggestion. It seems to me that we discussed this long ago and it was not possible, in a technological sense, but I certainly can investigate. Thanks.
