Home Gaming Have a terrible Xbox Live Gamertag? Want to change it? Xbox is releasing 1 million lapsed ones

Have a terrible Xbox Live Gamertag? Want to change it? Xbox is releasing 1 million lapsed ones

1 min read
14

darth

Perhaps you’ve got the worst Gamertag of all time, and for years you’ve been calling yourself DarthJoker360 or something equally asinine. Maybe the one Gamertag you’ve always wanted has been tied up in the system – belonging to somebody who hasn’t switched on a console since the very first Halo was released on the original Xbox.

If that’s the case, you may be able to snag the great while whale you’ve been chasing; grab your own Moby Dick as it were. Microsoft is freeing up a million lapsed Xbox Gamertags. Beginning at 7pm PST (4am locally) you’ll be able to try your hand at grabbing a Gamertag.

“We’ve listened to your feedback and once again Team Xbox is excited to announce the release of a large number of previously-unavailable Gamertags!” says Xbox Wire.

“These Gamertags are from the original Xbox era, the same source of Gamertags we used in our 2011 release. These accounts never migrated to Xbox 360 and as a result they have been inactive for quite some time.

While there’s no list of which tags will be freed, because an excel spreadsheet with a million rows is no fun to read through, Microsoft has said that they encompass the following categories.

  • Proper Names
  • Pop culture references (Entertainment, sports, gaming)
  • Types of Food
  • Geography and Travel
  • Science and Technology
  • Math and Numbers
  • Animals
  • Some of the greatest inventions of all time

You’re allowed one Gamertag change for free – after which it becomes a paid process. You can change your tag on Xbox.com, within the Xbox App on Windows 10 and on the Xbox One console. Xbox 360 owners will not be able to change their tags from the consoles, and will have to use other avenues. You can change your Gamertag or check for availability via xbox.com/changegamertag

Last Updated: May 17, 2016

14 Comments

  1. Ottokie

    May 17, 2016 at 13:33

    I think Sandy will be first in line with xXx_J0k3R_360degreeN0Sc0pe_xXx

    Reply

    • Pariah

      May 17, 2016 at 13:36

      I don’t think anyone else would take that.

      Reply

      • Ottokie

        May 17, 2016 at 13:37

        He can also be xXx_retired360nOscoper69_xXx

        Reply

  2. Alien Emperor Trevor

    May 17, 2016 at 13:38

    But what if I want something from all those categories?

    Like: TrevorRiRiZingerWingsAfricanQuantumComputerIrrationalNumbersPorcupineFlushingToilet?

    Reply

    • Pariah

      May 17, 2016 at 13:41

      Then you’d be an idiot

      Reply

      • Alien Emperor Trevor

        May 17, 2016 at 13:43

        Meh. You only say that because you don’t like Zinger Wings.

        Reply

        • Pariah

          May 17, 2016 at 13:46

          I don’t force my opinion on others*. Me not liking Zinger Wings doesn’t make them an idiot.

          Them liking Zinger Wings makes them an idiot.

          *Not always.

          Reply

    • Greylingad[He Charges!]

      May 17, 2016 at 13:55

      You didn’t put in 360…WTH man!?

      Reply

      • Alien Emperor Trevor

        May 17, 2016 at 13:56

        Of course not, MS only accepts 180s.

        Reply

        • Greylingad[He Charges!]

          May 17, 2016 at 13:58

          Only when they produce more than One mistake….

          Reply

  3. Greylingad[He Charges!]

    May 17, 2016 at 13:50

    “Some of the greatest inventions of all time”

    So not the Xbox One?

    Reply

  4. HvR

    May 17, 2016 at 14:21

  5. Strawman Jim

    May 17, 2016 at 15:58

    So I can finally become… Admiral General Professor Doctor Lord Geoffrey Tim Jr Esquire? My prayers have been answered!! I am coming father…

    Reply

  6. Strawman Jim

    May 17, 2016 at 16:02

    It would be nice if you could change your gamertag on PSN though… :/ Sigh!

    Reply

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