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Option to Obscure License Name When Streaming or Capturing Content

LaunchBox for Windows

Overview

Currently, LaunchBox displays the registered license holder’s name prominently within the app, which serves as a security feature to help deter piracy. However, this raises privacy concerns, especially for users who stream content or share screenshots publicly. In these cases, a user’s real name is visible and can inadvertently be exposed online.

Request

Add an optional setting that allows users to obscure, replace, or anonymize the license name displayed within the LaunchBox UI, specifically for use cases like:

  • 📺 Live streaming

  • 🖼️ Screenshot sharing

  • 📹 Video content creation

This could take the form of:

  • ✅ A toggle to hide the name entirely

  • ✅ Replacing the name with a user-chosen alias or ID

  • ✅ Displaying a generic string or license ID that developers can still associate with the original license if needed

Why This Matters

  • 🛡️ Protects user privacy while maintaining legitimate licensing

  • 🎥 Prevents accidental name exposure in publicly shared content

  • 👤 Aligns with modern practices around user identity (e.g., forums use usernames, not real names)

  • ⚖️ Balances piracy protection with the user’s right to control their identity online

Security Consideration

This request does not suggest removing license validation or eliminating identification entirely—only offering visual masking or anonymization, with backend validation still intact for support and anti-piracy purposes.

Implementing this would offer peace of mind for users who are proud to share their setups and gameplay while preserving their personal security and privacy.

Posted by AstroBob ·
Status: Open To Community2 comments

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Comments2

  • HatsuneZaku

    •

    Apr 25, 2025

    This has kept me from being able to show off Launchbox on streams or in videos, it’d be really nice if we could have some kind of generic identifier there instead of our real names.

  • JoeViking245

    •

    Apr 2, 2025

    Possible forms:

    My #3 vote:

    Displaying a generic string or license ID that developers can still associate with the original license if needed

    I feel I’d lose some personal pride if my shared screenshot/video showed a ‘generic string’ like SLOTH182 (actually that one sounds kind of cool 😉). With ‘license ID’, I think of a number.?. Like 134679258. Unbroken Sofware LLC (LLC), Please don’t turn us users into just a number. Very impersonal!

    My #2 vote:

    A toggle to hide the name entirely

    In my understanding, it seems this would circumvent the intent of having it there in the 1st place. I believe there are even certain checks when a Theme is loaded that if the LicenseText is not in there, it will revert to the Default theme. Disallowing the theme to be used/displayed. (I could be mistaken)

    If this understood intent is “the old way of thinking” and the LLC has/uses other means to protect themselves, then a toggle could work (as long as one doesn’t forget to toggle the toggle 😉).

    My #1 vote:

    Replacing the name with a user-chosen alias or ID

    I would love to see JOEVIKING245 plastered all over the internet shown within my shared screenshots and videos! 😎

    However, I also like seeing my FIRST LAST (proper) when playing LaunchBox/Big Box at home. That said, I don’t think it warrants creating a toggle of-sorts to switch between the two that I’d probably forget to ‘flip’ before posting, anyway. 😊

    Summary:

    Of the 3 proposed forms, allowing the users to formally request their displayed name to be changed to whatever-they-want (within appropriate guidelines, of course) is beneficial to both the users and the LLC.

    Adding an option to toggle it I feel is a not a good use of the LLC’s resources/time implementing. Especially since (though not their problem) I will forget to toggle it before posting, or “have to” redo my entire video, or [somethings’ more, I’m sure].

    Users having their displayed name be something their comfortable with sharing over the internet would seem to simply resolve the concerns, all around. Requests for change could (should?) be limited to a free one-time (two-times?) only.?. Upon annual license holders’ renewal.?. (extenuating circumstances aside)