New Xbox Terms of Use Require Sign In To Xbox Live Every Five Years to Keep Your Gamertag

New Xbox Terms of Use Require Sign In To Xbox Live Every Five Years to Keep Your Gamertag

44
Richard Walker

Microsoft has sent out an email to all Xbox Live users outlining changes to terms of use and privacy as part of the Microsoft Services Agreement, which is an agreement between you and Microsoft. The most notable change is the requirement that users ensure they sign in to Xbox Live at least once every five years to ensure their gamertag remains active.

Failure to do so would presumably mean that your gamertag would no longer be available on Xbox Live, but then signing in at least once every five years is hardly a tall order.

Here are some of the most notable changes to the Microsoft Services Agreement, as highlighted in the email:

  • Coverage for additional services (like GroupMe and Group Messaging) and new functionality and features for covered services (like Skype, Bing and our Rewards program)
  • Clarifications that your work or school account is covered by different terms
  • Notice that Xbox now requires that you sign in at least every 5 years to keep your gamertag active
  • Explanation of data storage limits for OneDrive and factors that could affect syncing and uploading to OneDrive services

[Thanks, Dean]

Comments
44
  • Well with buying gold on an annual basis I don't see that being an issue.
  • That's quite fair if you ask me, free's up more gamertags for people who actually play too.
  • Considering the current standing for the console market, I sincerely hope that the Xbox live login can be done through your PC just by logging onto Xbox.com Otherwise, I'm seeing some unbeknowst players raging about lost gamertags.
  • I Use Auto Sign In Everyday For My Xbox.
  • And what if people don't sign in anymore? Will the gamertag given to another person? I lost a friend, and his gamertag is still on my list, I would like to keep it there, in memory of the good times. And one of my friends had a girl lost to cancer, so he kept her on his list.
  • Does that mean I lose all my digital purchases if I don't sign in for five years? Some of my future retro gaming plans might need revisiting...
  • @#5 Yeah, I have someone on my friends list like that too, can see how some people might be upset abut it. On the flip side, gives me closure on that person and seeing their achievements is not how I choose to remember them anyway.
  • So when we die, 5 years later Microsoft pretty much ban us. Even our achievements don't last forever making me feel like I'm doing all these grindy games for nothing lol
  • Any one who has an issue with this is an idiot. Nuff said.
  • @5 Those people didn't agree to the new TOS so aren't bound by them. Those accounts won't be able to play on Live until they agree to the TOS but the accounts won't expire
  • And what if I lose internet for 5 years? What then???
  • You don't lose your account, just the gamertag. Much like those gamertags they freed up recently. If you don't sign in for 5 years you keep all you achievements/purchases but your gamertag will become something generated like HappyAcorn519256 or something.
  • @8 so your biggest worry is that after you die, 5 years later your Xbox gamertag becomes inactive. I don't think your friends and family will remember you from your Xbox achievements...
  • ^nah its more of the fact been erased from leaderboards and spending time gaming feeling pointless knowing one day it's all gonna be passě
  • So if we lose our gamertag we get a random one to replace it?
  • If you haven't logged into live during the last year of the XBOX360 (2012), you skipped the XBOXONE generation, went with the PS4 and ready to hop back in when Scorpio comes out (2017), you might be in for a big surprise. I think 10 years would have been fair, 5 is not.
  • So does this mean if you wait 5 years you get a free name change? =p
  • 16 just goto xbox.com, type your name/pass and voila... or use the windows xbox app, or any of the other ways to sign into your account..........
  • @#16 Lol i love how people think project Scorpio is a Xbox 2 when in reality its just a upgraded Xbox 1. Just like Playstation Neo is just a upgraded PlayStation 4. Everyone is gonna be poed when they release its real name.
  • Hoping this doesn't mean you lose your purchases after 5 years if not. If it's just the name of your GamerTag then that's not too bad, but I can see this being the creeping of the "24 hour check in" returning. Of course, with it being a 5 year check in, then that means that nobody would notice for a while. However, 5 years after Xbox 360 Xbox Live goes down, those digital Xbox 360 games that aren't backwards compatible are theoretically not going to work. At the moment they work perpetually so I doubt that would change, but it's entirely possible with Xbox One digital games. DON'T, I repeat, DON'T DO IT Microsoft!
  • YOU LOSE YOUR TAG, NOT YOUR PURCHASES AND ACCOUNT! Jeez people. Think about how long 5 years is. If you can't manage to sign in for 5 years, on your phone, computer, or console, you don't care enough to retain your tag. It's that simple. No one is going to lose the internet for 5 years, or not have access to login to a website for 5 years. There is zero room for concern here. This is perfectly reasonable to say, if you don't use your tag at all in 5 years time, we are going to free it up for someone else to use that will actually use it. I have no issue with this.
  • anyone who plans to go into a medically induced coma for the next 4 years after this election will need remember there's only a little time left to keep your tag
  • Glad W10 lets you sign in, cause I stopped playing the 360 two years ago and have not gotten a 1, but you never know in the future if I will want another Xbox.
  • @12 yeah, I'm assuming that's what would happen. Although wouldn't the randomly generated gamertag be removed after 5 years also?
  • @22: No guarantee 2020 will be any better. Kanye said he's running for president, remember?
  • shouldve left it as is. ill be freaking out losing my gt ive had invested since 08 before i decided the move on steam. when it comes the time 5 years later that microsoft can win me over again with overwhelming exclusives, its too little too late isnt it for me & others in my shoes. i dont want my gt name changed either if thats what will actually happen from theory 5 years after since i came up with my unique name by heart & someone else can take advantage to make my name & likeness look bad. come to think of it what other company practice does this in any way shape or form when more newcoming xbox live players are still migrating
  • I wonder if this is going to take another 5 years to take effect. Or if we can start taking the tags now.
  • Hey Microsoft. When are you guys going to fix that annoying problem where I can "buy" games for Xbox One (even if they are free) and download them to my Xbox One, but I get a notice there were no valid payment methods found when I do the same for my Xbox 360? It is the only reason I still have a 360, since I can buy everything perfectly fine on a 360 console..... No. Not going for a credit card, or Paypal or any of that. I buy credits in stores, not with a CC or anything like that.
  • Knew this one was going to be a hoot to read the posts. But what if...! or maybe..you mean...? I love news threads. 21;)
  • Please dear Americans, keep your pitiful political problems to yourself, this is a British site.
  • its just like not using your prepaid phonenumber for 6 months, it gets disconnected.
  • To those curious, I imagine it will be similar to the gamertag refresh that just recently occurred. You will still own your Live account, but the gamertag associated will be reassigned to a randomly generated one, like "AbandonedClove1394" to free up the old tag. Your achievements and games are still owned, you just lose your specific gamertag.
  • @30 it's a deal if you stop bitching about $ to £ conversation
  • I bet this site has more American users than British users.
  • Haha I forgot to put my gamertag in the email haha. Sorry! Thanks for the credit still though haha
  • @34: And?
  • As long as they send out an email every time it reaches a year with no sign in, I don't see this being an issue. I'm just worried that one day I'll put my console away only to take it out again 10 years later (just for the memories) and be missing all my Digital purchases and save data.
  • @37 If you read the statement it says: " Notice that Xbox now requires that you sign in at least every 5 years to keep your gamertag active" The keyword here is GAMERTAG!!! So.. you you return after 10 years... you're games and digital whaterever will be there!!! But your gametag will be reset to some random name.
  • * All your games and digital stuff will be there to reinstall and use again. * Typo correction! =]
  • Has it been explicitly stated that you can transfer your achievements to your new gamertag once you lose it or is that just something we're all assuming?
  • To those complaining: Look at your gamertag and ask yourself if anyone would ever THINK about typing that in... No one wants your gamertags anyway.
  • @25: One catastrophic crisis at a time man. Let's deal with Drumpf first, if we successfully do I doubt Kanye would prove more fatal. Though if by some bs the Kardashians do move into the White House, I am literally done with this country and will go anywhere else. Even the repressive ones if I have to just to not be in the U.S.
  • All right, now the clock is ticking. Can't wait to rename myself "Dante Kasai."
  • I'm curious if that's ONLY if you maintain an active "Gold" membership. I had a silver account I let lapse for 30 days (before this one).. and it was closed after that - PERMANENTLY! Anyway, I keep my account active/gold all the time, as well as log-in regularly - if not on one of my Xbox consoles... on the Xbox app in Windows 10. MS will have to pry my gamertag from my cold, dead fingers before I give it up! ;-)
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