Microsoft Postpones Free Xbox Live Gold Weekend in the UK

[Logan Westbrook]

Microsoft Postpones Free Xbox Live Gold Weekend in the UK

A technical problem has apparently forced Microsoft to exclude the UK from its upcoming online promotion.

Starting this weekend, everyone that has their Xbox 360 hooked up to the internet will get to enjoy being a Xbox Live Gold subscriber, whether they've paid for it or not. Well, not quite everyone, as gamers in the UK will have to wait a little while longer for their turn to come around.

Microsoft blamed a technical issue for the delay, although it didn't elaborate on what that issue actually was. It said that that it was committed to providing promotional opportunities for the Xbox Live Free users, and would soon be in a position to announce when the replacement event would take place. Unfortunately, it didn't give any indication of when that time might be, although presumably it will be after it chases away whatever gremlins are tormenting its systems.

This is obviously a disappointment, not just for the scores of gamers who had been looking forward to playing online, but likely to Microsoft as well, as money, time and effort have been wasted thanks to a technical hiccup. We've reached out to the platform holder to try and find out when the rescheduled event might take place and will update the story with any new information.

Source: CVG [http://www.computerandvideogames.com/286023/news/microsoft-cancels-free-xbox-live-gold-weekend-in-uk/?attr=CVG-News-RSS]




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[FoolKiller]

I feel bad for all the folks in the UK who don't get it, but I really hate it that I can't get the extra two days tacked on to my account. I've had a gold membership for 8 years now and I think we deserve some extra time online.

 

[Baradiel]

I hope its rescheduled. I have Gold, but I remember when they did a free trial like this a year or so ago. It was brilliant.

 

[Onyx Oblivion]

inb4 people act like MS is doing this on purpose and general whining about Gold

Well, that stinks. But they still get the free weekend later in the year?

 

[vrbtny]

We need the Darth Vader NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO button, stat!

inb4 people act like MS is doing this on purpose and general whining about Gold

Well, that stinks. But they still get the free weekend later in the year?

For once in my life, I ain't gonna knock Microsoft(See, didn't spell it with a $)

Their Xbox department aren't as big jerks as the Windows Part. I'm gonna believe them on this one.

 

[Delusibeta]

Their Xbox department aren't as big jerks as the Windows Part. I'm gonna believe them on this one.

I'm going to disagree on that one. Their Xbox department is probably the biggest jerks in gaming outside of Activision-Blizzard, in my opinion.

 

[kristiankramer]

Just a technical hiccup. Nothing to see here, move along, please!

 

[bitzi61]

I gotta say that while their techs might be jerks sometimes, it's still not as bad as trying to get technical support from apple when it comes to Itunes... ohhh boy that was a fun 2 weeks...

 

[therandombear]

We need the Darth Vader NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO button, stat!

inb4 people act like MS is doing this on purpose and general whining about Gold

Well, that stinks. But they still get the free weekend later in the year?

For once in my life, I ain't gonna knock Microsoft(See, didn't spell it with a $)

Their Xbox department aren't as big jerks as the Windows Part. I'm gonna believe them on this one.

You rang?
http://www.nooooooooooooooo.com/

Hmm, didn't know this, maybe I can get me some demos then :3

 

[josemlopes]

Meh, no reason to complain if they still get it.

 

[vrbtny]

Their Xbox department aren't as big jerks as the Windows Part. I'm gonna believe them on this one.

I'm going to disagree on that one. Their Xbox department is probably the biggest jerks in gaming outside of Activision-Blizzard, in my opinion.

Still doesn't make them as bigger jerks as the Windows part of Microsoft....

utyperic 546

[small] Hang on a sec? Activision-Blizzard? Don't you mean just Activision? They were the jerks that stopped the World of Starcraft thing on Youtube. Blizzard actually let them do it, and Invited the dudes developing it to visit their studios.

Blizzard ain't jerks if they do that, it actually make 'em pretty awesome.

But yeah, correct on Activision[/small]

 

[RA92]

inb4 people act like MS is doing this on purpose and general whining about Gold

Well, that stinks. But they still get the free weekend later in the year?

Shenanigans! I blame it on Microsoft's racism!

 

[therandombear]

Sure this weekend? Or do they for some reason count Norway as UK aswell? No gold membership for the weekend here =/

And I thought I could get me some demos to play ;_;

 

[Artlover]

This is obviously a disappointment, not just for the scores of gamers who had been looking forward to playing online

"Scores of gamers who have been looking forwards to playing online"? Please, most people know if they want to play online or not. I don't think there are many people sitting on the fence of that question that need this to be swayed one way or the other. I guess maybe there are people who are just so cheap that while they want to play online, they only wait for the once or twice a year that MS does this promotion to do it. I doubt it tho.

Then I have to wonder about data manipulation. Here is what I mean. MS loves to tout XBL as the best thing since sex and routinely overstates the numbers. For example, when MS talks about how many XBL users there have, they always include free Silver accounts. It looks much better to investers when the "numbers" show that 60% of Xbox owners have XBL. Not so much when only HALF of those are actually paid online-play gold accounts. It's rare when it happens, but MS has on occasion actually spelled the numbers out (it was MS's own announcment last year that revealed only half of the XBL accounts were gold). Tobad it didn't get that much notice, tho I'm sure MS was happy for that. To that end, I honestly think most of these promo deals are just for the purpose of faking XBL useage numbers during key monitoring events for the sake of shareholders and investers. The propping up of the conspiracy that most people are into XBL, when in truth, it's still (after over 9 years) a 35% to 40% minority (MS's own numbers, not mine).