Xbox Live Price Increases Are An "Unintended Mistake"

Andy Chalk

One Flag, One Fleet, One Cat
Nov 12, 2002
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Xbox Live Price Increases Are An "Unintended Mistake"


Microsoft says the increased prices seen in the Xbox Live beta test that's currently underway are a mistake and will be fixed.

Xbox Live users in the U.K. recently reported some disturbing news regarding the transition from Microsoft points to real money, currently being tested in the U.K. and other markets. As a result of the change, game prices had undergone a rather significant price increase [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/125849-Xbox-Live-Currency-Conversion-Results-In-Hefty-Price-Hike], as much as 33 percent in some cases. Some people suggested that Microsoft was simply using the opportunity to bring its pricing in line with that of the PlayStation Network, but as it turns out, the whole thing was just a mistake - and even better, people who lost money because of it will get it back.

"We are aware that select regions experienced some incorrect game title pricing in the Xbox Live beta," a Microsoft rep told VentureBeat. "This was an unintended error that we are in the process of fixing. We'll be reimbursing impacted beta participants for the difference in what was paid and what the price will be after the update is available to all members."

It's not an iron-clad guarantee that prices won't go up and the bit about "what the prices will be after the update is available" suggests that they actually might. But the rep also pointed out that, as a beta test, this sort of thing is going to happen from time to time. "As with all betas, we take the learnings from our program and make corrections and adjustments prior to the update being available to all members," the rep said. "As always, we appreciate the participation of our beta customers in helping us launch and build great products."

Source: VentureBeat [http://venturebeat.com/2013/07/10/microsoft-fixing-incorrect-game-pricing-for-the-xbox-live-beta/]



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FEichinger

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Aug 7, 2011
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"We wanted to try and see how many people would actually consider this reasonable. The backlash was too large so we went back on it."
 

Alpha Maeko

Uh oh, better get Maeko!
Apr 14, 2010
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Funny how this "mistake" just so happens to be a price increase instead of a decrease.
 

Arawn

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Dec 18, 2003
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What exactly was the beta testing? What had they done to result in prices rising? Doesn't make sense that was an aspect that got effected. Pictures not loading, links not activating, or even error messages. But prices suddenly go up? Odd indeed.
 

llamastorm.games

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Apr 10, 2008
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They've said it was an error, they have said they will fix it, they will reimburse everyone for the difference.
The price increase only brought it in line with similar services anyways. XBL had always been a bit cheaper in the UK than steam and PSN
Blops 2 map pack is £10 on XBL but £11.49 on steam
It happened during the beta (the place where mistakes are expected) and mostly only affected one country, it came out as a decrease in price in Australia.
What more do people want...?
 

-Ezio-

Eats Nuts, Kicks Butts.
Nov 17, 2009
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they should just install some PR damage control alert buttons in their offices now. would make their lives easier.
 

UnnDunn

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TiberiusEsuriens said:
"Our dev teams don't always make mistakes, but when they do it affects production and is a complete disaster"
Um... it's a beta. Beta = not production. :|
 

Alek The Great

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May 24, 2011
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Alpha Maeko said:
Funny how this "mistake" just so happens to be a price increase instead of a decrease.
Except that there was a price DECREASE in many regions such as Canada and Australia. As far as I know only the UK had a price increase.
 

Alek The Great

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May 24, 2011
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Arawn said:
What exactly was the beta testing? What had they done to result in prices rising? Doesn't make sense that was an aspect that got effected. Pictures not loading, links not activating, or even error messages. But prices suddenly go up? Odd indeed.
The beta replaces Microsoft points for local currency. A major aspect of the beta has to do with prices and currency so it is not surprising that prices changed. It should be noted as well that prices didn't go up everywhere; in fact, in Canada prices went down and are now on par with US prices whereas preciously they were not. I think UK is the only place where prices went up and it seems they're fixing it now. I just hope that doesn't mean that they'll bring the Canadian prices back up as well.
 

DjinnFor

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Nov 20, 2009
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So who actually buys the story that the programming team behind this would be so incompetent as to fuck up basic math and not even catch it in testing? What ever happened to fundamentals like comparing generated outputs with expected outputs?

Either Microsoft hires idiots and is admitting to doing so or they hire the best minds available and are therefore implying that the profession as a whole hasn't passed Grade 3.
 

Saucycarpdog

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Diablo1099 said:
PompousEscapist said:
Wooowooo! All aboard the smug git Microsoft hate train!

First stop EA-ville.....
And on that note...

OT: It's getting harder and harder to trust MS with anything now. We have no idea if this was a mistake or just backpedaling!
Uh....because they said it was a mistake? Are we now going to make out any legit mistake made by Microsoft to be a part of some conspiracy and anything they say is just one big lie?
 

Diablo1099_v1legacy

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Dec 12, 2009
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Saucycarpdog said:
Uh....because they said it was a mistake? Are we now going to make out any legit mistake made by Microsoft to be a part of some conspiracy and anything they say is just one big lie?
If you were confronted with something like this, would you admit you were making a cash grab?

The Xbone has really made me question anything that MS does, one (Nearly) bitten, twice shy.
 

Saucycarpdog

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Diablo1099 said:
Saucycarpdog said:
Uh....because they said it was a mistake? Are we now going to make out any legit mistake made by Microsoft to be a part of some conspiracy and anything they say is just one big lie?
If you were confronted with something like this, would you admit you were making a cash grab?

The Xbone has really made me question anything that MS does, one (Nearly) bitten, twice shy.
And reimbursing those affected is all part of this "cash grab" you're saying? And if you look above, you'll notice that prices went down for other countries.
 

piinyouri

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Mar 18, 2012
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Saucycarpdog said:
Diablo1099 said:
PompousEscapist said:
Wooowooo! All aboard the smug git Microsoft hate train!

First stop EA-ville.....
And on that note...

OT: It's getting harder and harder to trust MS with anything now. We have no idea if this was a mistake or just backpedaling!
Uh....because they said it was a mistake? Are we now going to make out any legit mistake made by Microsoft to be a part of some conspiracy and anything they say is just one big lie?
Yes.
Welcome to the Escapist.
*hands you gamer tin foil hat*
 

Diablo1099_v1legacy

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Dec 12, 2009
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Saucycarpdog said:
And reimbursing those affected is all part of this "cash grab" you're saying? And if you look above, you'll notice that prices went down for other countries.
Eh?
*Re-reads*
....Derp?

Shit, my bad. Sorry, didn't see that >.<
 

Alek The Great

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May 24, 2011
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DjinnFor said:
So who actually buys the story that the programming team behind this would be so incompetent as to fuck up basic math and not even catch it in testing? What ever happened to fundamentals like comparing generated outputs with expected outputs?

Either Microsoft hires idiots and is admitting to doing so or they hire the best minds available and are therefore implying that the profession as a whole hasn't passed Grade 3.
If this was an error in the final release I'd definitely be more critical, but considering it's a beta I tend to be a lot more forgiving. Not saying it's impossible that this was on purpose, I just don't want to jump to any conclusions, especially since prices are actually cheaper in my region in the beta.