Partypoker is giving players $500,000 to change their aliases as part of an update but some players fear it could hurt their bottom-lines.
Announced on May 30, the latest initiative will drop on June 17. Following the update, Partypoker wants all players to choose a new screen name.
To ensure everyone makes the switch in a timely fashion, current members can take part in a unique promotion.
Staying live for 24 hours, the offer will give everyone that changes their alias on June 17 a chance to play for $500,000 in added value.
Money Can’t Buy Happiness
Split into three strands, the $500K Race to Alias will feature a combination of loyalty rewards, prize drops and freerolls. However, despite the financial incentive, some players aren’t happy.
In trying to dissect why they have to change their monikers, some players believe the move is linked to a rumored ban on HUD (heads up display).
“With this release, we will be making changes to our software that will prevent third-party tracking tools from working. We want our players to have a fresh start and therefore we are asking all players to select a new alias so that all third-party tool tracking is lost for all our players,” said Partypoker managing director Tom Waters.
Linking things back to announcements regarding a levelling of the playing field, regulars are irked that they may not be able track stats as they play.
To HUD or Not to HUD
Although operators have been working to limit the use of third-party tracking software for years, it’s never sat well with some. Supporters of HUDs argue that they’re an integral part of online poker and, therefore, a skill players should learn.
In an age where Partypoker and its peers want to encourage casuals, operators say they create a predatory dynamic.
Although outright bans are becoming more common, some sites have tried to compromise. In launching Run It Once, Phil Galfond developed an emotion-based HUD.
Instead of providing a wealth of stats, the onsite HUDs track a player’s tendencies. In line with this, the expressions for each avatar change according to certain playing styles.
This system is still in its infancy, but some forum users have suggested Partypoker could use something similar.
Making Partypoker Less Predatory
At this stage, it’s not clear what will happen with regards to tracking software on the site. However, changes will occur on June 17.
Irrespective of the community’s take on its alias update, Partypoker has been pushing the envelope in recent months. As well as making its ecosystem more novice-friendly, the operator has been tackling cheats.
Back in April, it announced the start of a new bot busting program. On top of explaining how its fraud team identifies illegal software, Partypoker said $700,000+ has been recovered so far.
While this move will be seen as a positive, the poker community is currently divided on how the alias change will go down.
