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Forums - Microsoft - Windows Live ID’s and Gamertags - What's going on, and what we're doing.

JaggedSac on 20 February 2009

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Windows Live ID’s and Gamertags

I want to take a moment to talk about Windows LIVE ID’s and Gamertags. Recently,there have been a few stories about Gamertags becoming unrecoverable. I want to set the record straight, and let you know what is going on, and what we’re doing about it.


What happens:

In the rare case that you DO NOT sign in to Xbox.com or another website that uses Windows LIVE ID (like Hotmail) it is possible that your Windows LIVE ID expires (goes dormant.) 

An Xbox LIVE Gamertag is unrecoverable from the system only when the associated Windows Live ID has become dormant and the Gamertag has been deleted from all Xbox 360 consoles. 

Members with dormant Windows Live IDs can continue to enjoy the benefits of their Xbox LIVE Gamertags on their Xbox 360 consoles, including earning Achievements; however, they will not be able to use their expired Windows Live IDs for activities such as account management on Xbox.com.

It is important to note that an Xbox LIVE Gamertag is unrecoverable from the system only when the associated Windows Live ID has become dormant and the Gamertag has been deleted from all Xbox 360 consoles.

What you can do to prevent having any problems:

We recommend that people log into their Windows Live ID on Xbox.com or Xbox LIVE Marketplace on the Web at least once every four months.

 

What we’re doing:

We are actively working on an update that will allow you to link your Gamertag to a new Windows Live ID if one becomes dormant.

If anyone should have an issue regarding their Xbox 360 or Xbox LIVE account should visit xbox.com/support so we can assist you.



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SamuelRSmith on 20 February 2009

Why can't they just have Windows Live IDs/Gamertags as the same thing? Just have "Live IDs".

The whole thing should just be rebranded so that "Windows Live Messenger" becomes "Live Messenger" and "Xbox Live" and "Games for Windows" becomes "Live *insert word like "games" here".

And have further cross-features, as well. You should be able to see people's achievements in Live Messenger, for example, and the Avatars platform should be incorporated into all Live services.

Live IDs should also be able to grant you access to non-Microsoft sites. Logging into Live should also be logging you into thousands of sites. Like, it it were to work with VGC, for example, if you received a PM from VGC whilst you were logged in to Live on another service (perhaps another website, or even another device like a Zune or 360), you would be able to read and respond to that PM on that device.

Using Xbox Live Silver and Gold would become "Live" and "LivePlus", but LivePlus also adds other features across the board like access to the premium content on Live Messenger, and greater storage space on Live Mail.

Windows 7 could also allow you to log into a LivePlus account if you're not on your own machine, and you'll could be able to access all of your files like in a cloud computing space.

The whole idea of Live could be so much more if Microsoft incorporates it further into its products.

/rant.



JaggedSac on 20 February 2009

SamuelRSmith said:
Why can't they just have Windows Live IDs/Gamertags as the same thing? Just have "Live IDs".

The whole thing should just be rebranded so that "Windows Live Messenger" becomes "Live Messenger" and "Xbox Live" and"Games for Windows" becomes "Live *insert word like "games" here".

I concur.


And have further cross-features, as well. You should be able to see people's achievements in Live Messenger, for example, and the Avatars platform should be incorporated into all Live services.

Could be heading that way.  Although seperate groups inside M$ work on these things.  This is another problem with M$ being able to consolidate projects into more cohesive wholes.  Too many different groups doing their own thing.

Live IDs should also be able to grant you access to non-Microsoft sites. Logging into Live should also be logging you into thousands of sites. Like, it it were to work with VGC, for example, if you received a PM from VGC whilst you were logged in to Live on another service (perhaps another website, or even another device like a Zune or 360), you would be able to read and respond to that PM on that device.

There is movement in this direction from the industry as a whole.  One ID to rule them all, and it would be an industry standard, not a M$ one.

Using Xbox Live Silver and Gold would become "Live" and "LivePlus", but LivePlus also adds other features across the board like access to the premium content on Live Messenger, and greater storage space on Live Mail.

Good idea.  Live and LivePlus sounds better than Silver and Gold.  I have always thought they should integrate the Gold membership in other areas.  Zune being the main one.  Gives it more incentive.


Windows 7 could also allow you to log into a LivePlus account if you're not on your own machine, and you'll could be able to access all of your files like in a cloud computing space.

There is definite headway being done by M$'s cloud services for this, Azure etc..  Look at Mesh and other similar services they offer, Sky Drive as well.

The whole idea of Live could be so much more if Microsoft incorporates it further into its products.

This is where they are headed starting with Windows 7.  Look at all of the Live integration for Windows 7.

/rant.

 

 



mysticD on 20 February 2009

I agree with you two completely. Look at netflix and how it help bolster both Netflix membership and Live Gold. Microsoft need to work better with their own stuff to have Zune membership intergrate as part of gold would give people more incentive. Why don't they also intergrate Zune across Live and make it one service whre you can download music to Xbox and then share it with Zune and vice versa. They would get benefit of selling (5 more) Zune units. When Lips was launch that should have better intergration with Zune and Zune marketplace.



SamuelRSmith on 20 February 2009
mysticD said:
I agree with you two completely. Look at netflix and how it help bolster both Netflix membership and Live Gold. Microsoft need to work better with their own stuff to have Zune membership intergrate as part of gold would give people more incentive. Why don't they also intergrate Zune across Live and make it one service whre you can download music to Xbox and then share it with Zune and vice versa. They would get benefit of selling (5 more) Zune units. When Lips was launch that should have better intergration with Zune and Zune marketplace.

 

 I was thinking that, perhaps, the Zune should be more to Microsoft than just a media player, but it should embody everything that Microsoft has to do with music. Like a Zune TV channel for music videos, Zune sponsored music festivals, Zune awards ceremonies, etc.

It would do a hell of a lot for the Zune's image.



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JaggedSac on 20 February 2009

MS split the Zune team in two recently, mainly so the hardware and software for Zune are seperate entities. This means Microsoft is seperating the Zune Marketplace from the Zune player. This could mean several tings. The biggest of which is more devices integrating Zune software, such as the 360. But also non M$ devices.