Microsoft releasing almost 1 million abandoned Gamertags this week

Microsoft debuted Xbox LIVE back during the original Xbox’s lifespan. It was then that gamers snatched up some standard and classic Gamertags, without ridiculous strings of numbers or made up spellings.

Some of those gamers stopped playing games after the Xbox, and their Gamertags sat unused. Those abandoned names will start being released on May 18. That’s this Wednesday.

Microsoft says “that many of the available Gamertags” are in the following categories:

• Proper Names
• Pop culture references (Entertainment, sports, gaming)
• Types of Food
• Geography and Travel
• Science and Technology
• Math and Numbers
• Animals
• Some of the greatest inventions of all time

Will you be trying to grab up something that might have been abandoned? Or, will you stick with what’s tried and true? The first time you change your tag, according to the Xbox website, it’s free.