Microsot updates Xbox gamertags with Discord-like hashcodes and new worldwide alphabets

Microsoft has confirmed during its latest Inside Xbox episode that it would be changing how Xbox gamertags work across Xbox One, Windows 10, and other platforms. First of all, Microsoft is adding support for 10 new worldwide alphabets including Cyrillic, Basic Latin, and CJK Symbols for languages in China, Japan, and Korea.

“With this change, new gamertags will support over 200 commonly spoken languages so more gamers can express themselves in their chosen language – you could be “SeñorBúho#5405” or even “닥터 부엉이#1882,” explained Dan McCulloch, General Manager of Xbox Live.

The other important change is that Xbox Live Gamertags now support Discord-like hashcodes. If you want to change your Gamertag to something that’s already taken, you’ll now be able to do that, though you’ll automatically get an ID suffix at the end of your Gamertag. “For example, if you want to be “Doctor Hoot,” and it’s already taken, you could now be assigned “Doctor Hoot#1056,” explained McCulloch.

Nothing will change for existing Gamertags, and suffixes will only be assigned when Xbox gamers want to choose another Gamertag that’s already being used by somebody else.

For now, these more flexible Gamertags will only appear in the new Xbox beta app and the Xbox Game Bar on Windows 10, with other platforms to follow over the next year. “This is the first step in an ongoing journey for evolving Gamertags, so we appreciate your patience as the team continues to implement new features based on your feedback,” McCulloch said.