No one really bother to read the Terms and Conditions that come with video games, but surprisingly they can be a source of amusement as well. Wonder why an EA customer service representive approached you after you named something in-game as Adolf Hitler or Trip Hawkins or Peter Moore in their latest MMORTS game, Lord of Ultima? Just read the following and pay attention to the bolded points:

You are encouraged to choose a persona name that represents your character (including web profile and in-game character) in the way you want to be seen. However, we also ask that good discretion be used when choosing names for characters, or any other item or entity in game which can be custom-named. Examples of inappropriate names include, but are not limited to:

  • Any name that violates the Lord of Ultima Rules of Conduct or EA Terms of Service. This includes names that are racially motivated, sexually graphic, anatomical and excretory references, hateful, defamatory, ethnically derogatory, in reference to hate groups, or any other names that would be offensive in nature including homonyms. Simply, if your name defames any demographic, or is in poor taste you are likely to be actioned.
  • Any name that violates any third party trademark, copyright or other propriety right.
  • Names of any Electronic Arts employee or any customer service representative of Electronic Arts, past or present.
  • Any name that is defamatory or attempts to defame the reputation of another account holder, an employee of Electronics Arts, property of Electronic Arts or Electronic Arts itself. The use of derogatory, defamatory or offensive content in conjunction with names of famous or important historical, political or religious figures.
  • Names of modern era serial killers, or groups who have committed crimes against humanity in the past 150 years, or any name that is closely connected with these acts.
  • Any name involving a combination of words that produces an offensive result. Masked profanity or slang which denotes offensive terms.
  • Names which are website URL’s or the personal information of you or another.
  • Misspellings, phonetic spellings, word combinations, or alternative spellings of any names that violate the above rules.

The second last point  means that I can’t name my city Nineoverten.com. Damn…