should SE delete characters that were never used

[Astrapls]

I don't think SE should delete any characters, but I am perfectly fine with their name being released to be used by someone else.

[Breezelyn]

Here's what I think:
- They should send out warning e-mails to accounts about characters' name(s) being released if they have not been used in a year.
- If the character isn't logged in at after the warning e-mail (say...30 days after it was sent), the character name is released.
- If character is logged into before deadline is hit, their character name is saved.
- If character isn't logged into before deadline, name gets released. They can get a pop-up notification to pick a new name, if they log into the character after said deadline.

[AlphaFox]

I agree, if the character is never played or only has a minimum number of hours on it then it should be up for deletion after so many months of being inactive. Anyone who has hit a certain milestone however should be safe from any deletion at all.

[Reinha]

WoW made inactive character names available and gave the inactive character a free name change in case the player ever returned. I think that's a fair policy when you have a multi million sized player base and no surnames available. I don't think it's needed in FFXIV though because the amount of sensible first name / last name combos is more than enough for this size a player base.

Deleting characters to free a name is a clumsy solution though. C'mon.

[Xlantaa]

Wait what? You cannot suppose they will never return to the game. Even if a player was unsubcribed for 3 year, nothing says that person will return someday and continue playing with his character. Or even if he is saving that name for the day he will play and take the name.

[Xlantaa]

Here's what I think:
- They should send out warning e-mails to accounts about characters' name(s) being released if they have not been used in a year.
- If the character isn't logged in at after the warning e-mail (say...30 days after it was sent), the character name is released.
- If character is logged into before deadline is hit, their character name is saved.
- If character isn't logged into before deadline, name gets released. They can get a pop-up notification to pick a new name, if they log into the character after said deadline.

YOu cannot do tha on a online pay game. Why people will pay a entire subscrition only to log for 1 minute to keep his name? Some poeple just stop for a time, but maybe return someday. It is a waste pay a entire month to go online one minute for keep the name. If you don't have the name, just find another.

[Felis]

Or you can perhaps think of a different name? Something less mainstream?

This

With 2 names it shouldn't be a problem with just a bit creativity in thinking out a name.

[Dzian]

In some cases it wouldn't suprise me if some of those "inactive" characters were place holders.

I know a few people that have done server transfers and set up a level 1 on there old server using there name incase 1 day they choose to return to that server.

And a lot of people who change names to something more fitting to there fantasiad new race or something might create level 1s with there old names to stop people ruining there reps or in case they ever decide to fantasia back to there old race.

[Khalithar]

Rather than delete the character, they should just do what En Masse Entertainment did for Tera, any character that was inactive for a certain amount of time wasn't deleted, merely had their name taken and got flagged for a name change so that a whole bunch of names people wanted to use were freed up. WoW also has something like this where if someone else's character is inactive for a certain amount of time, you can request a GM to free up their name for your personal use.

[Blacksail]

I dont like the thought of this at all.. So I couldn't unsubscribe for a couple years and come back to this someday without my character being deleted? you want to save your name, you have to resubscribe like the housing thing?

I mean its too bad if you can't get a name you want, there are lots of names I've tried to get and can't either.. but thats just mmo basics 101, names get nabbed.. But deleting characters due to inactivity is just crossing the line..