BattleTag FAQ

The official BattleTag FAQ, as posted on Battle.net in April, 2012.

BattleTag Basics

What is a BattleTag™?

A BattleTag™ nickname is a player-chosen handle that will identify you on Battle.net® – in Blizzard Entertainment games, on our websites, in our community forums, and more. Similar to Real ID, BattleTag nicknames will give players on Battle.net a new way to find and chat with friends they've met in-game, form friendships, form groups, and stay connected across multiple Blizzard Entertainment games. BattleTag will also provide a new way to display public profiles.

Diablo® III players will be required to create a BattleTag before they can play the game; BattleTags will be used to publically identify players in groups or when chatting in-game, as well as on the Diablo III forums. We’re in the process of integrating BattleTag features into other Blizzard games and services as well, including World of Warcraft and StarCraft II. Some BattleTag communication features are already available in these games; we’ll have information on additional features as development progresses.

Will my BattleTag be unique?

A player's BattleTag is not unique, so you won't need to worry about whether your preferred name is available. You can use any name you wish, as long as it adheres to the BattleTag Naming Policy. Only one BattleTag can be associated with each Battle.net account.

If my BattleTag isn't unique, what makes me uniquely identifiable? How will I know I'm adding the right friend to my friends list?

Each BattleTag is automatically assigned a numeric BattleTag code, which combines with your chosen name to create a unique identifier (e.g. FallenSlayer#3592). Your BattleTag and code are viewable when you log in to Battle.net Account Management and within the Diablo III game client’s “Social” interface, and can be shared with other players who wish to send you a friend request manually. You will also be able to send BattleTag friend requests list within the context of a without knowing their BattleTag code -- by clicking a person’s BattleTag when they send you a message or group with you, for example. In either case, both players must agree to become BattleTag friends before either of you will be added to friends lists.

Can I choose a BattleTag now, even if I’m not playing Diablo III?

Sure! You can pick your BattleTag now through Battle.net Account Management, regardless of whether you're playing Diablo III. Simply visit the BattleTag creation page to get started. Make sure to choose a handle that follows our BattleTag Naming Policy and that you will be happy with in the long term.

Is it possible to change my BattleTag once I’ve chosen one?

Every Battle.net account automatically receives one free BattleTag nickname change, to be used at the player’s discretion. However, once you’ve used your one free BattleTag name change, you will not be able to change it again -- so make sure you’re choosing a nickname you’ll be happy with in the long run. To change your BattleTag after it’s been selected, log in to Battle.net Account Management, go to the Summary page, and click Change in the BattleTag section.

Where will my BattleTag be seen?

Your BattleTag will be seen a variety of places, and will be used to publicly identify you in the Diablo III game client (including in public chat and in groups with other players), as well as on the Diablo III forums. You can also find your BattleTag in Battle.net Account Management.

Your BattleTag will also be displayed to your BattleTag friends playing StarCraft II and World of Warcraft; in the future, your BattleTag will be usable in StarCraft II public chat or when making posts on additional Blizzard Entertainment forums. Remember that BattleTags are visible to others in certain places whether you’re BattleTag friends or not (such as in Diablo III and on the Diablo III forums), so keep that in mind when picking your handle. In the future, we'll have further details on how and where your BattleTag will be displayed in other ways.

Do I need to choose my BattleTag now?

Diablo III players are required to create a BattleTag before they can play the game. Players must also create a BattleTag to use a Diablo III-related identity on the Diablo III forums. You will still be able to post on these forums using a World of Warcraft or StarCraft II character name if you wish.

BattleTag In-Game

How will this affect World of Warcraft and StarCraft II?

Currently, players can send and accept BattleTag-based friend requests only in Diablo III. Once two players agree to become BattleTag friends this way, they will be able to participate in BattleTag-based cross-game chat whenever they’re logged in to World of Warcraft, StarCraft II, or Diablo III. We’ll be adding the ability to send and accept BattleTag friend requests in World of Warcraft and StarCraft II -- as well as additional BattleTag features -- in the future. We’ll have more details to share as development progresses.

Will I still be able to display my character on my profile or Armory page?

Armory profiles will be unaffected by the introduction of BattleTag. We'll have more information on how BattleTag will be integrated into other games in the future.

How will this affect my existing Real ID friendships?

Your Real ID friendships will continue to exist; you’ll still be able to establish Real ID friendships with people you know in real life, and all of the features and benefits of Real ID will remain available to you. BattleTag will simply give players another way to connect and communicate across Blizzard games.

Note that Real ID friends are automatically also considered BattleTag friends. Real ID friends in Diablo III will see both a friend’s BattleTag and real name in their in-game friends list, along with information about what character their friend is currently playing. For example, a Real ID friend in Diablo III would show up as “FallenSlayer (John Smith), Playing Barbabos, Level 6 Barbarian, in a Public Game” in your friends list, while a BattleTag friend would show up as “FallenSlayer, Playing Barbaros, Level 6 Barbarian, in a Public Game”. In World of Warcraft or StarCraft II, you will see only a player’s Real ID name or their BattleTag, not both.

Will this affect my World of Warcraft or StarCraft II character names in any way?

Your World of Warcraft character names will continue to exist and work as they currently do. We're still determining how we will handle StarCraft II character names once BattleTag is fully integrated into the game.

How do I add a BattleTag friend in Diablo III?

To add a friend via their BattleTag manually in Diablo III, type their BattleTag and code (e.g. DemonStomper#1537) into the Send Friend Request field in the Add Friend interface. This will send the player a BattleTag friend request; if the other player accepts your request, your BattleTag will appear on each other's friend lists. You can find your BattleTag identifier code in Battle.net Account Management or in the Diablo III client when you view your character profile. You can also send BattleTag friend requests by right-clicking a player’s BattleTag in the Diablo III game interface.