Valorant devs will force players to change offensive in-game names

Offensive usernames and gamers are two things that just go hand in hand. Ever since the original Gamertags were made, players have taken joy in creating the most offensive names possible, something that was mostly a poor attempt at humour, rather than in an effort to cause any actual upset. 

As @RiotSuperCakes has said, keeping a sportsmanlike environment where players respect one another is one of our top priorities. Today we're launching Forced Name Change for in-game Riot IDs.

— VALORANT (@PlayVALORANT) September 22, 2020

But it’s not the early 2000’s anymore, and Riot Games is attempting to bring a much-needed update to a number of users’ Riot IDs. The Valorant official Twitter account announced today that the developer is launching Forced Name Change for in-game names.

According to the post to social media, “swifter justice” aims to be brought to those reported for offensive player names that violate the Valorant Code of Conduct. Possible examples of these names include hate speech and slurs, so users don’t have to worry about their regular usernames being subject to a change.

(Picture: Riot Games)

When a player gets reported, their name will now go through an automated check to decide whether it is an offensive title. Should the account trigger the new system, the player in question will be forced to change their Riot ID the next time they log in to any Riot Games product.

Those who have deliberately chosen a name that is offensive or classed as hate speech are actually getting off relatively easy with the forced name change. Given that the Valorant developer claims that it’s attempting to make the shooter “welcome for all”, it’s a little surprising that the users aren’t simply banned for their names alone.

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This new system will give players a second chance under a new name, and hopefully, most will take that as a sign to change their behaviour.