Microsoft, DRM and the non-working Xbox 360. It’s like a Tom Clancy novel.
A Kotaku patron, Kevin, has his Xbox 360 red ring of death on him last November. Fair enough, it happens. So he contacted Microsoft, which then arranged for his console to be repaired. A little while later a repaired Xbox 360 arrived in the mail. Hooray.
Not.
Microsoft sent Kevin a different console. When he tried to access his Xbox Live content on this different Xbox, he found that it didn’t work on profiles that weren’t the purchasing profile. When you buy something on XBL, it can be accessed by every profile on the console and not just the one that did the purchasing. Not so with the new Xbox.
So here Kevin is with a semi-gimped 360. What’s Microsoft’s reaction?
There’s nothing they can do. Kevin called and called Microsoft, received assurances that the problem was being worked on. This tete-a-tete began in November; it’s now February and there’s no solution in site for Kevin. Microsoft told him that hopefully there will be one sometime in 2008. How nice of them.
So there’s two issues at work here. One, Microsoft is using some busted DRM with its Xbox 360. Two, its customer service comes across as woefully incompetent.
Microsoft Has No Answer For Their Broken XBOX Live DRM [Consumerist]
This problem occurred with me as well. In addition to calling Microsoft’s Xbox 360 customer service 7 times and being placed on hold a minimum of 45 minutes per call, when I finally spoke to a so called “Supervisor,” no solution was ever given to me. Their customer service while at first appears to be friendly and knowledgeable, yet when tough questions are asked they simply cant perform. I was extremely dissatisfied with their customer service, so much so I thought several times about canceling my Live account.
Depending on where you live, you may or may not experience
Delay problems & actually end up having to pay for the return
or shipment fees.
Due to this minor or Huge frustration, I have been able to find
a work-around, that has been able to help many gamers faced
with this nightmarish scenario.
I’ve posted full details on my blog:
http://3redlightfix-xbox360repairguide.blogspot.com/
I trust that you will spread the GOOD word….
Thanks
Gbot ;-)
I guess Microsoft used up all their humanity on the late red Valentine Zunes.
4 days ago I found that I could no longer access my xbox live account.the test stated I was connected but I wasn’t.Phone Support had me delete my gamer profile then try gamertag recovery but I still couldn’t connect.Finally they had me create a free Silver Account which I could access(then I had to create a second one in order to get One Month Gold Membership free).It’s been bumped up to tech-support but I haven’t heard anything from them.I was assured it would be fixed in 5-10 business days and that microsoft would reimburse me for the lost time but now I’m not sure.
I’m done with the 360. I called saturday about seeing what could be done to get my xbox live games to work offline on my NEW 360 elite. I was told they would only help me if I still had my refurbished 360, and would only help me with that console. I wasn’t liking what Francis had to tell me so I asked to speak to his supervisor. Christine wasn’t any better. Somehow I was wrong in buying a new console. That someone could be playing those games on my account offline on the refurbished. Not that they were accusing me of that mind you! Never mind that I formatted it, and gave it to a friend back home. Never mind that I talked them into going gold, and buying some of the same xbox live games I had so we could play together. Thus gaining them a new customer.
I haven’t done this since I was a child, but it felt wonderful. Check my link out.
I’m SICK of this B.S., I have called customer support 3 times to give me a coffin or e-mail me a sticker with an address for my red ring problem, what did I receive…..nothing. I was put on hold forever the total amount of time was 40 minutes for one call. I was told that I was going to speak to a supervisor but every time I was taken off hold the supervisor was “busy” and would be with me in “5 minutes”. Instead of getting a mac I got a PC, instead of buying a PS2 I got a Xbox, instead of getting a Wii or PS3 I bought a Xbox360 and paid for their Live connection to play online. No more will I EVER buy anything Xbox or Microsoft ever again. I wont piss in Bill Gates’ ear if his brain’s on fire, guess GoW2 will have 1 less buyer. Not that my loyalty matters to him, he just likes my money.
-Atrociousjester
Pissed of EX-Microsoft endorser