Microsoft resurrects dead Gamertags

by Richard Mitchell on Mar 2nd 2011 10:00PM

Good news for any Xbox Live members that have ever wanted a dead user's name: Microsoft has "begun the process of making previously used and unavailable (dead) Xbox Live Gamertags available," according to Major Nelson. Previously, any lapsed Gamertags -- caused by changing a Gamertag or closing an account -- went to the infamous Xbox Live "graveyard," never to be used again. Now Microsoft is reanimating the "zombie" tags and offering them up for use once again.

Major Nelson notes that the process "will take some time to complete," as more trashed tags are converted for reuse daily. He advises users to "check back regularly" to see if a desired tag has been resurrected.

Xbox Live memebrs can change their tags in the profile section of the Xbox Dashboard (pictured). The cost of changing one's Gamertag, regardless of whether it's a revived tag or a brand new one, is 800 points ($10).

Source: Major Nelson

Tags: gamertag, gamertags, microsoft, xbox, xbox-live

Reader Comments (57)

Why did I laugh while reading this?

Oh, and I still think it's stupid to pay a whole 800 msp just to change your gamertag.

I mean...it's just your gamertag. Idk man.

@atriux If you get people to file a complaint against your gamertag they make you change it

@atriux

Back when I first got one I tried Jack Burton, David Lopan, Samuel L Jackson they were all taken, even on PSN and I got on PSN back in 2006.

I eventually picked a good one, and I have a few great ones on PSN but man I would love to have Samuel L Jackson as a gamertag.

@Masker13
That doesn't really work. Every complaint is looked at by a person and a Gamertag will only be changed if it's genuinely offensive.

@atriux
You probably won't believe me but I am dead serious.
Someone at my work changed his gamer tag 8 or 9 times and paid each time. It was hilarious, I kept a list of all the names he changed to.
He said it was money well spent...

@atriux Ya, but if it were free, everyone would be changing everyday.

@atriux
Ok seriously, who DOESN'T want to get beaten in a game by someone with the gamertag of "YourMomma". Cmon.

@atriux

Tell that to my friend who made the name "Me So Rorny" - Before realizing this was not just a profile on the Xbox, but the name people see him with online as well.

Interesting. I hope they don't think mine is dead. I haven't used it since 2007 but I'd like to get back on eventually.

This should be a free offer.
Instead of paying, they can have a limit to how long you must wait before changing it again. Make it 60 Days or something.

Charging $10 for changing your gamertag is just dumb.
Oh wait, its Microsoft.

Changing your gamertag is ridiculous way to throw money away.

@Funkmaster General

It's not dumb. It's a smart way to make people really make sure they want to be called "Sillynanny513".

@Funkmaster General I changed mine when I thought of a way better name a few years later and didnt mind the cost.

@AkumaFTW

As did I. I actually just cleaned mine up and removed some numbers on the end. Worth it. This also stops people from just eating up user names like cookie monster at... a cookie store.

@Prboi

i changed mine once because i thought of something i liked better after a couple of months of playing. i groaned at first about the price but i understand it. it's there to 1) make MS some more effortless cash and 2) to make sure people aren't constantly changing them. i've been waiting for PSN to offer a similar option because i've hated my PSN name for a while now.

@Prboi
I was happy with Sillynanny513 when I picked it and I'm still happy with it now

They charge you to change your gamertag because otherwise people would be changing their gamertag constantly. While it is kind of stupid it would just be inefficient to have one or two guys whose job is to change people's gamertags as they ask for it. Also people would just change their gamertag to get rid of a past reputation.

@finnith
exactly. if it was free people would abuse the hell out of it.

i'm just glad i registered my desired gamertag by creating a Windows Live account many years ago even though i didn't have an Xbox. just bought mine a few months ago and logged in with kojo87 no problem.

It's like on Steam, you can change your display name at any time. And I have seen people change them depending on what game they are playing.

While it might sound greedy, it does serve a purpose in keeping people from changing them all the time. I imagine they wouldn't want their servers to have to constantly resync everyone to millions of people changing their Gamertags daily.

@kojo87

yea i did that too and by the time i got a 360 i didn't like the name anymore. i played on it anyway for a while and then when MS started letting you change it, i did.

@finnith

Microsoft could let you change your Gamertag every 60 days (and keep it free), that would keep people from abusing it.

I had a dead account once. It happened when my first Xbox RROD on me & then I couldn't use my account on my new 360. But it was fixed eventually

I dunno, I'd pay to change my PSN. I have a goofy name I made years back, but too much money in it to ditch it.

@wcarnation Ditto

@Flapjackal

and i third that

"went to the infamous Xbox Live 'graveyard,'"

There has got to be a Yugi-Oh joke in there somewhere.

@killdash9

I'm not sure there HAS to be a yugi-oh joke in anything anywhere.

@killdash9

Magic cardGamertag Reborn, face up!

Guys! You have to realize that at least Microsoft has an option to change your Username / Gamertag. Big ups to them for acknowledging sometimes your " xXx James Bond xXx " is not satisfactory to you after you turn 18.
Think about it-- saving all your achievements and such + keeping all your stats registered with a fresh, new name.
Don't know about you, but sounds like a good feature to me.

Btw, original names such as: 'Bill Murray' should be revived soon!

@GamingColt

what about xX_CoD_ShAdOw_SniPeR_97_Xx? oh god I can only hope.

@GamingColt

So that explains why Chris Grant changed from his original Tag: XXSmOkezMaDbLunTz420XX

That's why the last 2 times I changed my Gamertag I just asked 10 friends to file a complaint about my Gamertag at which point I was "forced" to change it for free.

@BrssMnky

They track you on that now

@Prboi

I did it once in 2009 and once last year and have had nothing happen to my Gold Live account. No bans, warnings, or anything. How can they even prove that I called 10 friends and had them complain about my gamertag? Maybe the will just think I have shi**y friends?

@BrssMnky What gamertags did you have?

@BrssMnky

Also to add to the above mentioned 3 changes and ban, they also review tags and wont make you change it if it aint offensive.

Me and a few friends have actually had people offer to buy our gamertags. I'm not exactly sure how that would work but yeah people have genuinely offered. that shows you how much people care about this sort of thing.

@eat it

If I were payed for my gamertag with compensation for all the stuff I've bought I could probably get a new xbox.

While I agree they should have something in place to deter people from changing their gamertag every day, I also don't think it should be a full $10.

Here's to the gamertag I want (and used to have) being available soon! I hope...

I don't like this. I really don't want a random person on my dads account. I've kept him on my friends list since he passed away 6 years ago, and I have no intention of removing him.

@ACap1494

I am sorry for your loss, I am. But I think your best bet is to hop on your pops account and do... something. Play a quick arcade game or something. Just make sure the account can be looked at as "active" and they won't remove it.

Contact them, and explain the situation?

It probably won't help, but you might get someone who understands, and keeps the name unavailable. Tell them you still have his account info available in case they question whether or not it's someone just trying to lock down a name just to keep it locked down. At worse they can say no, and you can follow the advice above, and do some activity on the account.

This is great new, i changed my GT to the one ive been wanting since 2004. Its always been a dead gamertag on the site and on xbox live and would show up as unavaible but if i tryed to use it it wouldnt work. It became avaible today and now i no longer have to have the ugly 360 at the end of my name. Win. costed me 10$ but ill just make that all back over the years with the rewards program and its surveys lmao

Ha. I've been using the same user name ever since I started playing consoles online, SOCOM 1. Have the same name for my 360 & PS3 for the longest time.

Lil typo in the last paragraph, Sir Mitchell, memebrs-->members.

J-just sayin.

I think it's more fun to change your name once a console generation. I had my xbox name, now I have my new 360 one and when the next generation rolls around it will be time for a change

Wow, you 360'ers are lucky you know? What I would do to change my PSN ID... I'd be willing to pay up to $20.

hehe "memebrs"

Nope what he said was brilliant and you are stupid

Nice. Maybe I can get my original gamertag back.
Some whiner complained about mine being offensive, when it wasn't at all. It literally contained nothing offensive... This person was just being a dickus.

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Microsoft resurrects dead Gamertags

Reader Comments (57)

Posted: Mar 2nd 2011 10:04PM atriux said

Posted: Mar 2nd 2011 10:19PM Masker13 said

Posted: Mar 2nd 2011 10:21PM eat it said

Posted: Mar 2nd 2011 10:35PM Seven Hour War said

Posted: Mar 2nd 2011 10:44PM Brodo said

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Posted: Mar 2nd 2011 11:23PM The Only Girl said

Posted: Mar 3rd 2011 5:41AM Punkrawk Bbob said

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Posted: Mar 2nd 2011 10:07PM Hi iTs SlayeR said

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Posted: Mar 2nd 2011 11:51PM SoCoolCurt said

Posted: Mar 3rd 2011 5:27AM bjb1990 said

Posted: Mar 2nd 2011 10:13PM finnith said

Posted: Mar 2nd 2011 10:52PM kojo87 said

Posted: Mar 2nd 2011 10:58PM Drakkenfyre said

Posted: Mar 2nd 2011 11:55PM SoCoolCurt said

Posted: Mar 3rd 2011 12:22AM tendoboy1984 said

Posted: Mar 2nd 2011 10:14PM Prboi said

Posted: Mar 2nd 2011 10:15PM wcarnation said

Posted: Mar 2nd 2011 11:53PM Flapjackal said

Posted: Mar 3rd 2011 1:01AM SoCoolCurt said

Posted: Mar 2nd 2011 10:17PM killdash9 said

Posted: Mar 2nd 2011 10:19PM The Radio Waves Were Like Snow said

Posted: Mar 2nd 2011 10:24PM The Harbinger of Pie said

Posted: Mar 2nd 2011 10:21PM GamingColt said

Posted: Mar 2nd 2011 10:29PM eat it said

Posted: Mar 3rd 2011 2:43AM embassy said

Posted: Mar 2nd 2011 10:23PM BrssMnky said

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Posted: Mar 2nd 2011 11:10PM BrssMnky said

Posted: Mar 3rd 2011 12:03AM Mystictrust said

Posted: Mar 3rd 2011 4:40AM This Little Man Says His Name Is said

Posted: Mar 2nd 2011 10:32PM eat it said

Posted: Mar 2nd 2011 10:53PM Acosta02 said

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Posted: Mar 2nd 2011 10:50PM ACap1494 said

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