NCsoft has announced that the name policy City of Heroes / Villains will be reinstated, freeing up character names that have been inactive for more than 90 days.

Starting 8/29/2007 the City of Heroes and City of Villains Character Name Policy will be re-enacted with some changes. As previously announced last year, we are hereby giving players 30 days notice that this policy will be turned back on effective Wednesday, August 29, 2007.

Names for characters below level 6 on game retail accounts that have been *inactive for over 90 days will be changed to unreserved status. This means that those names will become available for new character names if picked by an active (subscribed) player. This policy is being enacted in order to free up character names based on player feedback and for our Character Transfer and Rename features.

If your game account is inactive for over 90 days and you reactivate your account you will need to log back in to any characters affected by this policy to move them out of unreserved name status. If your old character name has been taken by an active player, the game will prompt you to rename your character. You will be given only one opportunity to rename your character. It is possible that your character name may still be the same if an active player has not chosen to use that character name. Your global handle will not be affected.

Get the details here.

I am both a long time player of COH/COV and I have had some fairly long periods of inactivity.  I wholeheartidly disagree with this change in policy (or reinstatement of previously discontinued policy). 

It only discourages players from returning.  Lapses are a natural part of the MMORPG world right now.   Penalize folks for it at your own risk.

 I am currently playing (and have been again for a few months now. 

I have ZERO problem finding absolutely good names. 

I might not always get my first pick, but I almost always do actually (within 2-3 tries certainly).

The naming system is so flexible (it's not nearly as restrictive as just about every other MMORPG -- allows spaces, gramatical marks, fairly long names, etc) that it really is only the truely dull-witted that must be having issues finding a name they can be happy with.

You do realize that this is as a response to the soon-to-be implemented server transfer and character rename, and it only affects characters level six or below, right?

It's not going to affect any character that someone has really put their heart and soul into.  Nobody's level 50 will be affected.  Heck, it won't affect anyone who has put more than five hours into a character.  Most likely, this policy re-enaction will simply affect '"placeholder" characters which only exist to secure a name.

This only applies to characters below level 6. If you have a character you enjoy playing and wanted to keep his name, you'd be way above level 6.

Well that's good to know.

I did know that, but so what?  I am one that likes to rotate through a lot of alts.  I always have toons under level 6.  Just because they are under 6 doesn't mean I want to rename them?

Again -- there is no good reason for this policy -- names are not a real issue.

Originally posted by Uproar

I did know that, but so what?  I am one that likes to rotate through a lot of alts.  I always have toons under level 6.  Just because they are under 6 doesn't mean I want to rename them?

Again -- there is no good reason for this policy -- names are not a real issue.

Well it is a good idea if you leave the game and don't intend on returning.  How would that be fair to someone who is playing the game and would like that name, and you have no intention on returning?  Really, this is adequate considering the level cap they put in place in regards to taken character names.  In my opinion...

Hmmm good thinking.

Unactive low level characters (6-), the players aren't too attached to what they barely plays, eons ago.

With 14 active characters, I rather use always the same name, but I guess this isn't possible.

Originally posted by Uproar

I did know that, but so what?  I am one that likes to rotate through a lot of alts.  I always have toons under level 6.  Just because they are under 6 doesn't mean I want to rename them?

Again -- there is no good reason for this policy -- names are not a real issue.

I'm sorry, but this is just reaching for something to gripe about.  You have 90 days to rotate to that character and it's pretty simple to get to level 7.  If you can't do either of these things, you should give up the name to someone who can.

There will be far more paying members well served by this than potentially old players returning but discouraged by this measure

You can make level 7 on any character in one casual night of 3-4 hours.
If you have name reserves you want to hold on to than keep your account active and keep paying or level up these characters.

The first time when they did this they released a whole bunch of names for the release of CoV. I got to login and pick long desired names and really prompted me into starting new alts with those names.

This measure is more than fair.

(in the forums and on the Triumph server I was known as Premium)

Really good idea, and I believe it's fair for those who want to reserve a name too, it takes no time at all to get to 7.  I know people I played with that haven't been on since launch that still have toons with great names.

You all do realize this is not SWG (old days)?  You actually get more then 1 toon and more then 6 servers to play.  I got like 30 toons!

All with good names I might add that I do like and created while the name change policy was not active (as far as I know).

90-days is not a long time.  I skit from one game to the next in about 2-3 month intervals and then circle back.  Always have.  Can I get them all to level 7 before I swap again?  I guess I will have too.  Guess what?  That's 30 (or more by then) toons that still won't be available to reclaim.   IF there really is a problem the level cap will have to eventually get raised still further or they'll be right back where they are.  Again the issue is nonsense with regards to COH/COH. 

Other games like EQ or EQII or WOW -- sure makes some sense (would seriously piss me off, but names are harder to get there -- there is at least some level of issue there). 

I disagree... there are fewer good superhero names than a made up name for an elf...

I think you perfectly illustrate why it's a great policy.

You sit on tons of great names.
You do not play the game regularly and only activate your account occasionally.
You admit not having time to level up these characters even in the rare times you reactivate your account.

Distribute 30 of these great names to 30 active people and frankly... it's one unhappy non-customer for 30 happy customers.

I suggest you keep your account active... or pick the names you truely cherish that you can level up and hope no one wants the others.

You're not gonna be happy with anything I have to say... or what most people with an opinion on this have to say.
The world is not against you, it's against what you think is your right to reserve names in a game you do not play and it doesn't care that you could potentially return but now wont.

I don't currently play the game and have great names reserved... in the back of my mind I always think I could return to the game cause I have great memories playing the game... but my level 30s, 40s and 50s are not going anywhere and now if I were to come back... I could potentially grab names I always wanted but could never get...
I'm tempted to reactivate.

So "Ace" and "Gary" are available now?

Oh.  

What I actually want is the possibility of renaming one of my Characters voluntarily.