Recycling Gamer Tags

HR Anarchy · Jul 14, 2014

Hi. I just got done talking to [Mod Removed] in Xbox live chat. I wanted to request the gamer tag xX Paradox Xx to be recycled. The request number is
[Mod Removed].

In case you cannot recycle this one here are others to be recycled

[Mod Removed]

:)

muggy_love · Jul 14, 2014

Guys & Girls, do the community a SOLID and vote for inactive/banned gamer tags to be recycled!

Lets be real. Nothing last forever, not even us. So why make a gamer tag attached to someone permanently? There are probably some really awesome gamer tags like "Master Chief" where the person is no longer with us(dead) or inactive and chooses to never return to xbox live. Gamer tags that are inactive should be recycled so another person or new generation of gamer can honor it and keep the gamer tag active.
There should be an option to petition for a GT that meets certain conditions. 1) no online activity for 3 years; 2) An email that goes out to the individual with the option to reply with a yay or nay to allow xbox to break the connection worth the GT; 3) of no response to the email after 90 days, the GT is automatically surrendered and made available to the person who made the petition; 4) if the GT isn't taken within 7 days after notice has been made to the petitioner, it is available for anyone to grab. No fees, other than the cost to change the GT in the first place.
Click this link to VOTE for inactive/banned Gamer Tags to be recycled! Xbox Ideas, powered by UserVoice

DigitalAssassin · Jul 14, 2014

Gamer Tag Auditing & Recycling

It's funny when I think about it, most people want a specific gamertag and you get called every other variation of it when playing on Xbox Live. I actually hate it when someone says my full gamertag on Live now because it's so long, DA or Digi is fine and
much faster.

Mark Sherwood · Jul 14, 2014

Hey there THE CHOESEN ONE

I am sorry to tell you that you have been misinformed. Gamertags that are either in use or inactive are no longer recycled. There was a time were Xbox recycled gamertags but due to users abusing this by retrieving gamertags to sell them on, it was soon halted.
The best and most accurate advice you will get is that gamertags have no expiration date on them and there is no timescale or request process to free up gamertags.

I hope this helps.

Many thanks,

Cloud

Mark Sherwood

Hey there THE CHOESEN ONE

I am sorry to tell you that you have been misinformed. Gamertags that are either in use or inactive are no longer recycled. There was a time were Xbox recycled gamertags but due to users abusing this by retrieving gamertags to sell them on, it was soon halted.
The best and most accurate advice you will get is that gamertags have no expiration date on them and there is no timescale or request process to free up gamertags.

I hope this helps.

Many thanks,

Cloud

Galaxy Golden

As far as I know, there isn't a specific date as to when microsoft recycles gamertags.

Wolfie McG

If an account is inactive for five years the gamertag is then released back into the back for anyone to grab.

ThisGameIsSucky

I didn't even know username recycling was a thing...that's actually kind of cool.

I don't know when they are doing It (the Mod answered the question for you though,) but this was actually and interesting thing to stumble upon.

I never know that was a thing until now.

Smwutches

They are no longer doing mass releases of gamertags. As of 2016, if a person does not sign into their account for 5 years, the tag will be released. So 2021 would be the first that would take place. Keep in mind though that the tag system is in use on
other Microsoft services, so even if it's not in use on an Xbox, it may be in use somewhere else.

Recycling Gamer Tags