Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Gaming
  3. News

Got an inactive Xbox gamertag? Microsoft says to use it or lose it

Danny Cowan
By

Xbox One backward-compatible Xbox games
Image used with permission by copyright holder
When did you last sign in to Xbox Live? If it’s been a few years since you last powered on an Xbox console, your gamertag may be at risk of deactivation, as Microsoft has updated its services agreement in a bid to prune inactive user accounts.

According to Microsoft’s updated Services Agreement, Xbox Live users must log in to the service once every five years in order to maintain an active account and keep existing gamertags. Those who fail to meet the newly updated requirements will have their accounts suspended, and related gamertags will be released back into the wild for others to claim.

Recommended Videos

“In the Microsoft Account or Skype Account section, we’ve added a requirement that you must sign into the Xbox Services at least once in a five-year period to keep the Xbox gamertag associated with your Microsoft account,” Microsoft’s updated terms read. “We’ve also added that if your account is compromised, we may be required to disable access to certain content.”

Related

Microsoft announced in May that it had released “nearly one million” vacant gamertags that never made the jump from the original Xbox’s online infrastructure to the Xbox 360’s updated Xbox Live service. Affected users had their accounts wiped, and many sought-after gamertags featuring “proper names, pop culture references, and types of food” were put up for grabs.

While Microsoft previously gave players more than ten years to decide whether they wanted to transfer their derelict gamertags to an Xbox 360, Xbox Live accounts now face much stricter login requirements. Assuming you’ve played an Xbox game within the past five years, however, you’re probably in the clear.

In addition to its updated sign-in requirements, Microsoft also rolled out a host of minor service changes for Xbox Live users. The Xbox Live Code of Conduct now specifically prohibits the posting and distribution of “terrorist content,” and players using a work or school email address to log in to the service will now see a notice stating that separate terms based on employer or university standards may apply.

Terms addressing payments and foreign currency conversion have also been updated, and new sub-sections detailing Skype, group messaging, and OneDrive integration are now a part of the Xbox Live Services Agreement. If you’re concerned about your account status, it’s worth giving the updated Agreement a glance to see if you meet Microsoft’s new standards.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Danny Cowan
Danny Cowan
Contributor
Danny’s passion for video games was ignited upon his first encounter with Nintendo’s Duck Hunt, and years later, he still…
Microsoft to pay $20M over Xbox child privacy violations
Microsoft signage at the Meridian Building (formerly CompuWare) in Detroit, Michigan.

Microsoft has agreed to pay $20 million to U.S. regulators for violating the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).

The breach involved the computer giant collecting and retaining personal information from children who set up an Xbox account prior to obtaining permission from their parents.

Read more
Microsoft pledges to bring Xbox PC games to Nvidia GeForce Now
geforce-now-og-no-text-1200x630

Microsoft has announced a 10-year partnership with Nvidia aimed at bringing Xbox PC games to its cloud gaming service competitor Nvidia GeForce Now as part of its ongoing efforts to win over companies skeptical of its potebtial Activision Blizzard acquisition.
This means that players can use Nvidia GeForce Now to play the Steam, Epic Games Store, or Windows versions of titles like Halo Infinite, Redfall, and eventually, Call of Duty through the cloud on GeForce Now. Third-party publishers with games on the Windows Store can also now grant streaming rights to Nvidia. This announcement came during a European Commission hearing where Microsoft tried to convince regulators that its impending acquisition should bne allowed.
Microsoft has been under a lot of regulatory scrutiny even since it announced its intent to acquire Activision Blizzard in January 2022. It's trying to win over industry peers with deals like this one with Nvidia. This week, the Communications Workers of America voiced its approval of the deal, and Microsoft has signed a binding agreement to bring Call of Duty to Nintendo platforms as well. Previously, Nvidia had raised concerns about Microsoft's Activision Blizzard acquisition, but the press release announcing this agreement states that the deal "resolves Nvidia's concerns," and that Nvidia now gives "full support for regulatory approval of the acquisition." 
Regulatory bodies in the U.S., U.K., and Europe are worried that Microsoft acquiring Activision Blizzard will hurt the game industry and sabotage Microsoft's competitors in both console and cloud gaming. Nvidia GeForce Now is seen as one of the biggest competitors to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate's cloud service offerings, which makes it surprising that it reached an agreement with Nvidia. However, this deal also demonstrates how Microsoft is willing to make concessions so that its acquisition of Activision Blizzard is approved.

Read more
Your Xbox is becoming carbon aware with new update
Official Xbox art promoting energy saving, carbon awareness, and collective action.

While many fans are waiting for Xbox to reveal the release dates of Redfall and Starfield, or to even hold another game showcase of its own, Microsoft's first significant Xbox-related announcement of the year is about something else entirely. Xbox Insiders will have access to multiple new options to make their Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S more carbon-aware starting today.
To start, the "Shutdown (energy-saving)" power option will be updated to reduce its power consumption even further while still supporting overnight updates; in fact, your Xbox console will now optimize those updates by doing them "when the console can use the most renewable energy in your local energy grid." According to Microsoft, for every two consoles that are in this mode for 20 hours a day for a whole year, the carbon equivalent of a tree that has been growing for over a decade will be saved.

That isn't the only energy-conscious addition in this update, though. A new "Active Hours" setting is coming, which will allow those who choose the "Sleep" power option to boot quickly and support remote waking during set active hours, rather than it always being available. Surprisingly, even Xbox One owners will see a carbon-aware update with the addition of the "Shutdown (energy saving)" power option today, although Microsoft is still in the user feedback stage for that platform.
These carbon-aware updates are available to Xbox Insiders with an Xbox One, Xbox Series X, or Xbox Series S starting today, although Microsoft says these additions will come to all current-gen console owners "soon." 

Read more