How to not get banned in Guild Wars 2

Guild Wars 2 is out! People started flooding in when early access started on Saturday and the population has been steadily increasing in the run up to today’s launch. With the carefree attitude of a puppy bounding blindly into a window pane a number of players have managed to get themselves temporarily banned already. Bemused, many headed to this Guild Wars 2 Reddit thread to ask the Arenanet support team what they’d done to attract the wrath of the ban hammer.
The responses serve as a useful lesson on what to avoid saying if you’re planning on keeping your account alive and unlocked. Warning, bad language ahead.
Lesson one: don’t call your character “Adolf Critler.”
Lesson two: don’t roleplay your Reddit ID.
FoulMouthedFrog asks why his character, “Invalidation” was “suspended for inappropriate behaviour.”
Arenanet: “Name: OK Chat — Not OK: “GET THE FUCKING CAVERN SCUTTER ENERGIES YOU FUCKASSES.”
Lesson three: don’t …. this.
Redditor NeurologicalDisorder says “I would LOVE to re-read what ‘Neurologic’ was banned for.”
Arenanet: “Name: OK Chat: Not ok — Neurologic: “the worm IS fucking hard if you’re a fucking mentalpatient no we fucking dont you can take a keep with 5 people if you’re not a fucking dickhead”
Lesson four: don’t be a griffin hogging homophobe.
My char name: Elphopaladin Why my account was blocked for 3 days, can you check this?
Arenanet: “Name: OK Chat: Not ok — “leave faggots the griffin is mine faggots”
Lesson five: there be a troll in every thread.
“Hi my name was verybigballsackk” says verybigballsackk, “PLEASE TELL ME WHAT I WAS BANNED FOR =D THANKS ARENANET”
Arenanet: “Errrrrr…. ;)”
My experiences with other Guild Wars 2 players so far have thankfully been free of this sort of thing. In fact, the atmosphere has been remarkably jovial, but nothing turns that good-natured vibe sour faster than a horribly offensive all caps global chat rant. If you’re looking for some friendly folks to play with, come find the PC Gamer guild on Gunnar’s Hold and swing by PCGW.com to keep up with our lovely community. Meanwhile, to all those banned above I award an honorary Captain Picard facepalm.

Chris is neck-deep in Guild Wars 2 at the moment. Check out his latest impressions in our ongoing, regularly updated Guild Wars 2 review in progress post.