The Site > Old Forums > Console Tech > [xbox] Want to change my name.

[xbox] Want to change my name.

You need 800 MS Points ($10US) to change you name, which may be why it seemed like it wouldn't let you change it.

Log on to the account you want to use, ie the one with the 1 year gold membership. Press the guide button on the controller, go over to the Settings blade, select the Profile option. Select Edit Profile and then select Gamer Tag, self explanatory from there.
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One time a person asked where the F button was on their keyboard. I told them they would find it next to the U button.

Got it thanks..

Wow what a rip off.

reply to Rungel
I think the whole point of the charge is that they don't want poeple changing their names all the time, hence the charge.
Right or wrong, I think it's good that people aren't changing their names all the time.

Some people get around the $10 fee by asking all their friends (and recent players ugh...) to report their gamertag. They get suspended for about a week I think and then can change their name. Found out about this from a recent player asking to report their name. I reported him (or her) alright, but it wasn't for the name
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One time a person asked where the F button was on their keyboard. I told them they would find it next to the U button.

reply to Rungel
I have 69 at the end of my name maybe I should try the same since I want to change my name also

reply to rivalman

reply to Rungel
And that's the point, they don't want people changing their names, hence the charge.
Don't want to pay anything? Don't change your name... pretty easy.
If they didn't charge I'll bet there would be a ton of name changing going on, whenever you got tired of your name, or just when you found something "funnier", people might change at that point.
Personally, I think it works as a good deterent... which I think is all they really are trying to accomplish.

Microsoft is more concerned with making money than they are name changing. Jack the price up for name changing and you satisfy both goals.
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One time a person asked where the F button was on their keyboard. I told them they would find it next to the U button.

reply to vzw emp
I thought the same thing with World of Warcraft and the character moves (I think it was $20 or $30 to change servers?).

reply to rivalman
I understand the argument (cost as a deterrent) but the facts don't support your assertion for several reasons:

1. I haven't found anything on the Xbox website that discourages people from changing their gamertag (though I did find an article that walks you through the process of changing it).

2. It doesn't cost MS anything to implement a name change. They don't incur any additional costs because it's all done in cyberspace with no human involvement.

3. Like Metatron said, if they didn't want people to change names they could simply not allow it, or they could only allow it if you wanted a brand new account (meaning you start from scratch with no friends and no gamer points) which, if memory serves, is the way it was done on the original Xbox. MS used to include 2-month subscriptions with every new game to promote Xbox Live so I've had about 4 gamertags (though I still use my original).

Bottom line is MS made the decision to monetize the process and allow name changes (for a tidy fee, of course) when the Xbox 360 launched. Add it all up and you get a corporation trying to find more ways to make money from a product.

Why is everyone against a company trying to make money off it's product?

reply to Rungel
It's not "making $10 for nothing" it's making $10 on you changing your name. It's voluntary, therefore you make the choice, and therefore you are supplying the demand for a service, and they charge you for that service.
Remember, you're the one that wants to change your name on their server, so, being their server they can charge what they decide to maximize their profits. Basically, if you decide to change your name and pay the $10, then you have agreed to their service terms.
I would agree with cbrigante2, what's wrong with them making a profit on the service they set up... oh and if you think there is no cost in the server system they set up... well you're just plain wrong. Look up the cost to setting up Xbox live, the very same reason Sony did not set up a similar network... cost.
It cost Microsoft millions of dollars, and oddly enough... they would like to make a profit on that investment.... weird!

Edit... I forgot to add something.....
The whole point of the gamertag was to have a permanent link to a person's account. A permanent ID, or calling card for every gamer on their network. They originally didn't allow name changes back on the original Xbox. After enough demand for it, and I imagine people choosing lame names, they decided to offer it, for a fee yes. I've been on live since day one, and I will look up exactly when it was that they decided to allow name changes, can't remember when it was exactly....

reply to Metatron2008
Sorry, I just don't see the issue. When Live first started, they didn't even offer a name change as an option. It is simply that, an option. I agree that it is too much money in my book, but I have already voted...with my wallet.

You understand that you can pay about $5 for some clothes for your Xbox Avatar..correct? I think that is crazy as well, but guess what? I don't spend my money on it. You make it sound like it is some big, forced service they have put on us here. It's a free market...if you don't like it, don't buy it (also..when did businesses needing to make money become socialist/liberal?).

reply to rivalman
Well said rivalman . I want to say when you first choose your original Gamertag, they warn you that once you set it...it's locked in for everything for you as well.