In today’s round of Censorship Gone Wild!, an Xbox gamer who uses his real surname as his Xbox LIVE Gamertag has been ordered to change it because it’s “potentially offensive”.
Christopher Gooche told Kotaku he’s had the alias registered since buying his original Xbox back in 2004, but received a message last night while playing Call of Duty informing him that he could no longer use the name on the service.
A “gooch”, as I’m sure none of our upstanding readers would know, is a vulgar slang term for the area between a gentleman’s wibbly-wobblies and his squeezle.
“As a child I got into many fights because it was people challenging my namesake,” Gooche said. “Back then it was due to [TV show] Diff’rent Strokes with Arnold always being beat up by ‘The Gooch.’ I came to terms with the name and wear it like a badge of honor now.”
Microsoft has previously suspended or banned gamers for similarly stupid reasons, including the nick “the GAYERGamer”, a man named Richard Gaywood, and another guy who lived in Fort Gay, Wes Virginia. At least this time it’s a different theme.
Microsoft later responded to the Kotaku article with the following statement:
The Xbox LIVE Enforcement Team works to help make Xbox LIVE a safe and enjoyable experience for our customers by enforcing the Xbox LIVE Terms of Use and Code of Conduct. Due to the ever-changing nature of Internet slang, it can be a challenge separating content intended to violate the rules by being clever, from content that does not violate the rules. In this case, the gamertag has been determined to be potentially offensive. We have informed the member that he will be required to change his gamertag, which he can do at no cost.
Think of the children. You know, the same ones calling you a ******, and a ****, and a ******ing **** ***** ***** in Halo.
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I know a guy with the surname Peacock… he’s not allowed to use his name, either…