How Microsoft Pwned My Gamertag
By Daniel on Friday, July 4th, 2008 at 3:15 PM PST In Computer, Game Companies, Game Consoles, Game Platforms, Microsoft, Microsoft
For those of you who may know me on Xbox Live or have played with me in the past, you’ll know that I pretty much had the greatest gamertag ever. I was damn proud of my gamertag as it had just the right amount of dirty humor to it. When I’d tell anyone my gamertag, a smile would immediately come to their face, and often a laugh and/or chuckle.
BenDoverx was more than a gamertag to me. It was a way to let people know that I don’t take myself serious at all, and I can even take the occasional joke. You wouldn’t believe how many times I heard people jokingly say, “Heh heh… BenDover…I just bent you over!” whenever they would kill me in Halo. I pretty much heard it so much that it really didn’t phase me anymore. I would simply reply with a “Really? I swear, I’ve never heard that before. You’re completely original.”
Last night, the name BenDoverx finally made it into Microsoft’s crosshairs….
As you see from the picture above, I finally had to give up my gamertag after having it for 2 years. I don’t know if my name was reported by someone I played online or, since I deal with the folks at Microsoft through this site, maybe they caught on to my name and I was forced to change it. Or, quite possibly, it was all a mere coincidence. The thing that’s probably the most annoying about having to change my name is I was going to meet a friend to play online. Instead of getting into a game, I had to sit there for 15-20 minutes to come up with a name I could use without getting in trouble again. I decided to go with a variation of my PSN ID. My new Xbox Live gamertag became ‘TheBeebsta’. Yea…very anticlimactic indeed. Going from BenDoverx to ‘TheBeebsta’ is pretty much like riding the craziest rollercoaster at the amusement park, and then having a seat on a bench.
Nevertheless, I’m paying homage today to my lost gamertag. BenDoverx was a name I was damn proud of, even though there have been times that I had to inform a pretty important contact of mine what my gamertag was so we could get a game going. A lot of them were cool with it and gave me the reaction I expected. But there were a couple who have yet to add me since my gamertag was “risque”.
Here’s to you BenDoverx… you will be missed.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I gotta take a seat on this here bench with my stupid ‘TheBeebsta’ gamertag.
I do have to agree with one thing though, this is indeed a news blog and if you do not like the article, just move on to the next one.
Creative or fun Gamertags are just that – fun. Why some of you feel compelled to spew hatred towards Daniel is beyond me. Microsoft is getting way too PC for their own good, and personally I feel they could be using their “police” in a more constructive manner. At the same time, certain XBL users, on the other hand, should learn to act like human beings instead of mentally challenged primates.
XBL and the internet breed morons who beget morons so if you want to play on either you have to take the good with the bad I guess. Sorry about your Gamertag Daniel.
@Stephany (the one in blue)
I respectfully disagree with both this -really- being an issue and with you telling others to “move on”, we have a right to post as well, and i believe most people who voiced themselves against this being news did it properly.
To be frank, this gametag isn’t creative…as Hugh Jass (who actually -does- have a creative name)stated:
“Ben Dover? Geez, I think I first heard that when I was about 10. Honestly, I think they did you a favor…”
It’s not witty nor is it orginal, Microsoft has the right and the ability to make -anybody- change their tag, while i’ve seen worse than “Ben Dover” i can still understand the reasoning behind it.
As i said before, make yourself a target…don’t be shocked when somebody decides to take a shot at ya.
Sorry that you had to lose the name. I have a love for those type of gamertags, I have had a few myself. From Ophelia Heiney and Jenna Talia to Pat Maweenie for my husband. They were always temporary though I was afraid to get to attached to them for Microsoft to then come and make me change them.
So, what you are saying Davn is that since his Gamertag was not original nor witty to some or all, that he deserves to have it banned? Maybe I misunderstood you.
Oh, yeah, Hugh Jas/Phil Migrowen, or whatever he is calling himself this week is indeed witty and creative. We are constantly reminded of it around here.
You could have changed it to BenXDover01 or something like that…
@Daniel
Dude that totally sucks about your gamertag man. I hate to think that we have become so uptight in this country that we have absolutely no sense of humor at all.
Here’s to all of you out there that have a singular whit as I do and keep on fighting the good fight.
@Stephany
You totally need to go online with your gamertag so we can play. Seriously.
Also to Stephany and anyone else at or around my age, 30, please take a look at this site: http://www.geezergamers.com/ I’ve been a member for quite a while and we have tons of fun. And we weed out the Timmies. Good times.
Go Marlins!!!!
@Stephany (the one in blue again)
No…i think i may have worded it poorly, my fault
I was trying to point out that it’s just not that big of a deal, i mean if his gametag was funny, orginal, or even mildly abrasive -THEN- i could understand the loss of it…if his gametag was, for example, StephBlue…then i could understand it actually being article worthy as StephBlue isn’t offensive.
He calls his gametag “The greatest ever”…..hardly.
It’s like walking around with your shoes untied then writing an article on how you tripped…it’s inevitable, a complete non-issue….if you don’t want to trip then tie your shoes…..if you don’t want your gametag removed then be a bit less obvious, or (heaven forbid) find one that is in no way a target.
……..
Or i could be overthinking the situation…..i do that sometimes. 
StephBlue…. I like that! LOL.
What can i say, it just came to me
I got the Gamertag: WetBingoBango..
Wonder if they’ll take that away.
Its not very obvious, more innuendo, but I do get alot of jokes
can anyone help me my name got banned and fore some reason when that message appears i click it and it says i have to sing it to change my gamertag, but it wont let me sing it because i havnt changed it yet wtf is up with that.
i always wanted to change my gamertag to Ivan Erection but i dont the M$ would be too happy…
Im SusanoTengu on Xbox live. Microsoft cant find anything wrong with that can they! HA!
My gamertag was X Hugh Janus X, It’s now Cavity Searcher, my days are numbered im sure