Microsoft has said that it is investigating possible solutions to the issue of Live Gamertags becoming unusable when certain email accounts expire.

Following the initial MS advice of "set up a new Gamertag", it now it appears that a Gamertag only becomes unusable when it has been deleted from all 360 consoles, as well as the Live ID becoming dormant.

GI reports the following statement from Major Nelson: "It is important to note that an Xbox LIVE Gamertag is unrecoverable from the system only when the associated Windows Live ID has become dormant and the Gamertag has been deleted from all consoles."

The statement also revealed what are doing to remedy the problem: "We are actively working on an update that will allow you to link your Gamertag to a new Windows Live ID if one becomes dormant."

By James Wallis