diff --git a/src/core/game/GameView.ts b/src/core/game/GameView.ts
index c50c9874b..de56f49b6 100644
--- a/src/core/game/GameView.ts
+++ b/src/core/game/GameView.ts
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ export class UnitView {
 }
 
 export class PlayerView {
-  public anonymousName: string;
+  public anonymousName: string | null = null;
 
   constructor(
     private game: GameView,
@@ -122,8 +122,10 @@ export class PlayerView {
     if (data.clientID === game.myClientID()) {
       this.anonymousName = this.data.name;
     } else {
-      this.anonymousName =
-        createRandomName(this.data.name, this.data.playerType) ?? "";
+      this.anonymousName = createRandomName(
+        this.data.name,
+        this.data.playerType,
+      );
     }
   }