I know I'm looking a bit far into this since the game just came out, but I noticed they're toting the physical security keys as having "long battery life". I probably should've asked this before I activated it, but my question is simple:

 

How do I keep playing after my physical security key's battery dies? Can I just buy another one, or how does that work?

 

 

PS - On a side note, you guys should make the title field (when creating a forum topic) white, or some other color that contrasts the background, instead of making it identical to the background. I had to click and highlight all over the place just to find where I was supposed to type.

Edited December 21, 2011 by HowDoUPlay

I think you would have to contact customer support. I cant see any other way of doing it.. Edited December 21, 2011 by Leders

If the physical security key dies, you need to get a replacement and get the old one removed from your account. Until you have a replacement, you cannot log into the game.

 

Similarly, if you decide to download the iPhone app either because your physical key has died or because you want to use the app, then the physical key apparently needs to be removed from your account before you can use the app (from what I have seen, you cannot use both the physical key and the app on the same account).

 

I know that Bioware have had problems removing the key references from some accounts, and they are working to make it easier to remove the security keys from accounts, but that is never going to be an easy option because it will invalidate the main reason for using the key in the first place.

Yeah, I figured they would've made it easy for physical key holders by allowing you to replace the battery yourself. Of course, upon receiving my key today, I see that this was not the case.

 

I guess I'll just use it for now, and disable it later. Hopefully before it dies, so my service will be uninterrupted.

security is nice, but can also be inconvenient.. just remember this.

I've never needed an authenticator to keep any of my game accounts secure, and the only reason I'm using one now is because I got it for free with the CE and because I want access to the stuff the security key vendor sells ingame.

 

I'm not too enthusiastic either about my account access depending on a device with limited battery life, so I hope they streamline the process of removing it. In the future I think a swift phonecall should be enough to have it removed, provided you have sufficient proof of account ownership.

Edited December 21, 2011 by Amarinth

security is nice, but can also be inconvenient.. just remember this.

 

a compromised/hacked account is even more inconvenient.. just remember that.

a compromised/hacked account is even more inconvenient.. just remember that.

 

However those situations are also rare if the user don't download all sorts of stuff from the internet or sends his login/password to somebody.

If your Key dies Bioware would expect you to buy an iPhone. Clearly.

you should just be able to remove the key from your account. The battery, also, from what they said about the WoW authenticator, should last for years.

 

That being said replacing the battery yourself would make the key no longer function, because it would not be synced with the database anymore.

yeah it probably wont die for a very long time, the one I use for my blizzard account is 3 years old and I've been using it almost every day (when I'm home) and it is still going strong. So don't worry too much about it, you'll be able to exchange it when the little fella dies.

If your Key dies Bioware would expect you to buy an iPhone. Clearly.

 

No Silly!!! But it sure would make one hell of a reason to get one.

Edited December 21, 2011 by Sameria

Battery life is supposed to last 9 years, so... yeah.

 

That will be 2021. According to the movies we'll all have our own jetpacks.

Battery life is supposed to last 9 years, so... yeah.

 

That will be 2021. According to the movies we'll all have our own jetpacks.

 

I was about to post this. You have a long time to go before worrying about the authenticator dying on you.

i have a wow authenticator from when they first came out that still works, so you are talking quite a few years. literally its the original blue blizzard one. so thats what about 4 years or so?