Why can't Microsoft delete old and unused gamertags

I just want to retrieve my old gamertag from back in the original Xbox days. I don't recall my information from back then so calling doesn't help. How is it that Microsoft doesn't just delete gamertags that haven't been used in about a decade. This seems
like a reasonable thing to do. Instead my old gamertag just sits there inactive. This seems like an easy fix for them. Really annoyed though.

:)

 

Do you think Microsoft will clear out old unused gamertags?

Do you think Microsoft will ever clear out the old unused gamertags that have not ever been actually used or have had their last activity 7+ years ago?

 

buying of an old not-in-use gamertag

Hi,

You can't buy unused gamertags I'm afraid. You will have to wait until Microsoft release the unused gamertag which they do occasionally. It could be years though.

 

You can thank account sellers for this.

The last time Microsoft released old gamertags the account sellers pounced and claimed a lot of them. They then proceeded to sell the account details to people who were desperate for the name.

Please forgive the question but if you haven't used the name for the ten years since the original Xbox, why the need to have it now? Go with something similar.

 

yeah it really sucks that people took advantage of that.

 

There was no advantage. They abused it and got all of those accounts banned till 9999 aswell as any accounts associated with it