How to merge online and offline Xbox 360 profiles

January 15, 2009 7:09 PM

How to "merge" my offline Xbox 360 gamer profile into my new online gamertag for Live play (without losing achievements,points, etc gathered offline)

I've been playing XBox 360 offline for awhile, but have only recently decided to move online and occasionally dabble with XBox Live.

To do this, I got on the XBox site and got myself a shiny new Gamertag.

Thing is, my online gamertag and offline game profile (the latter with all my achievements, points, games played etc) are under two different names, as the name I use for my gamerprofile is a common one and was not available when I went to use it as my online gamertag.

I'm wondering two things - firstly, how can merge things so I have my offline profile become my online one, and secondly, I understand there is a cost involved in terms of Microsoft points - can someone confirm that for me?

Thanks so much!

posted by chris88 to sports, hobbies, & recreation (7 answers total)

Basically, take your offline profile online, and after you either give it a code (from one of the cards) or your credit card info, it'll make you change your name.
posted by Oktober at 7:20 PM on January 15, 2009

I am under the impression that you can't actually do this.

If your original gamertag was a completely offline profile, (NOT a free silver account) then you are SOL and have to just create a new profile for online.

Please someone prove me wrong, I had a friend who just went through this and was quite annoyed when microsoft told her that she couldnt merge them.
posted by utsutsu at 7:32 AM on January 16, 2009 [1 favorite]

Piggybacking: Can you change your gamertag without losing achievements? If no, can you change it at all? Because I picked something stupid so I could just start playing, and I really wish I could switch it (just like MetaFilter...)
posted by solipsophistocracy at 10:27 AM on January 16, 2009

You can change your gamertag but it will cost you 800 points. You will not lose anything. The only way around the cost is if your tag gets reported as offensive enough times, then MS will force you to change it at no cost.


Still no one to refute what I said in my first answer? I was really hoping someone would, since I am basically going off second hand information. I don't want to be right on that point.
posted by utsutsu at 11:18 AM on January 16, 2009

I had offline gamer profile on my Xbox 360 with gamer score. I purchased a Live 12 month card. Through the Xbox 360 while logged in as my offline profile, I added the game card and it took my offline profile and converted it to a Live Gold profile, keeping my gamer score.

I'm pretty sure this is the way you have to do it if you want to keep your gamer score. I had to change my name of my profile/gamer tag for Live though as the original offline one was taken.
posted by Nerro at 12:56 PM on January 16, 2009

Scratch that, I think this is your answer:

http://www.xbox.com/en-AU/support/xbox360/live/account/mergeoflineprofile.htm
posted by Nerro at 12:59 PM on January 16, 2009

Thanks so much for all your responses.
posted by chris88 at 5:14 PM on January 18, 2009