Microsoft ignores loyal supporter

[Telperion]

Don't know what console you bought exactly, but I ended up buying an Xbox 360 Elite when older Pro version RROD'd for the second time. By that time my warranty had expired, so I just sucked it up and bought a new one. So far the Elite hasn't so much as coughed at me, and everything runs just fine. Personally I don't mind, but I certainly understand where you are coming from.

On the other hand I'm currently mostly playing on the PC, and my views of consoles and their general functionality is currently more than a little skewed towards the negative. For example, I would have removed all of my credit information from Microsoft's services, if that was possible without a lot of hassle. With the blatantly obvious security problems Sony is having at the moment, I'm seriously thinking about discontinuing my Xbox Live Gold Membership when the current 12-month membership expires.

 

[Chronologist]

I am currently on the phone with Xbox Tech Support again, and he has told me that my Xbox does NOT qualify for their offer because it's a hardware problem. That is not true, the Xbox Live was working two weeks ago before the update was released. The update is the isue here, not the hardware.

I think he's trying to avoid having to give me a new Xbox.

EDIT: It seems like he want me to send the Xbox to be replaced by an identical model. I live in Canada. Is this how it works? I am hesitant about sending my console, since they could just claim that it was tampered with and not send me a new one, and I wouldn't be able to fight them.

 

[FalloutJack]

This is facinatingly stupid of them. I'm not even an X-Box owner and I think so. They have lost so much already to the first and second (and any other) waves of RROD in their consoles, and now they shoot themselves in the foot with a shotgun with something like this. You see, this is the sort of thing they should never do. A company should try to be accommodating.

I will cite an example that recently occurred with my keyboard.

I had received a Logitech wireless keyboard at one time and I used it on my PS3. Apparently, it wasn't designed for it, but it functioned well anyway...until recently. Now, I couldn't get this to be somehow fixed, per se. It was likely due to the security update that this even happened. But after hearing about my keyboard fiasco, Logitech offered me a more up-to-date console-compatible keyboard AT A DISCOUNT. I still had to pay money, but they did me a favor.

That is the sort of thing Microsoft should be doing, or else it's alienating an entire generation or two of players.

 

[Katana314]

If they're offering to receive it, I'm pretty sure that's your best bet right now. They'd like for you to show evidence that you own a real, unhacked, working 360, and that you just want to be able to use Live.

Sometimes, a company will send out the item before they ask to receive something, but that's only in generous cases.

Your worries are valid, but I don't think there is a better solution for you than sending it in to them.

 

[Chronologist]

I spoke with Edward, a representative of Microsoft, and he told me to mail my Xbox to them so that he can send me the same model with the updates installed. It will be able to use Xbox Live and play the new games, but it will not be an Xbox Slim or have any other features. Also, I'm probably going to lose all my Gamer Tag info unless they transfer it to the new system.

I'm glad that a compromise was found, but I'm not happy about losing my console for 3 weeks because I wanted to download a DLC. I would have preferred that they send me a newer console, or that they have a tech guy come to my house and fix it.

I still think that Microsoft betrayed my trust, and I don't think I'll buy any more Xbox games or products from now on, but at least I can get what I fairly paid for.

 

[BetterSummer]

Microsoft doesn't make hardware. They're not very good at making operating systems anymore, either. So we'll enjoy their Xbox 360 and how they funnel us into their financial plans for world domination.

 

[Wicky_42]

I spoke with Edward, a representative of Microsoft, and he told me to mail my Xbox to them so that he can send me the same model with the updates installed. It will be able to use Xbox Live and play the new games, but it will not be an Xbox Slim or have any other features. Also, I'm probably going to lose all my Gamer Tag info unless they transfer it to the new system.

I'm glad that a compromise was found, but I'm not happy about losing my console for 3 weeks because I wanted to download a DLC. I would have preferred that they send me a newer console, or that they have a tech guy come to my house and fix it.

I still think that Microsoft betrayed my trust, and I don't think I'll buy any more Xbox games or products from now on, but at least I can get what I fairly paid for.

I feel for you, but you should realise that this is the sort of power companies can have over you in this age. Technically, even the majority of PC users aren't safe from Microsoft screwing with us with an update. There would be hell to pay, of course, but they could do it. However, the advantage of a PC over a console here is that a PC you own and have completel control over, whilst caveats in the license agreements on console seem to make out that you're just leasing the hardware at the good graces of the manufacturers - one of the big reasons why I've stayed out of this online-enabled console generation. My N64 still runs, so I feel there's no excuse to kill an xbox after just a couple of years.

 

[UltraXan]

Well, that's Micro$oft for ya.

 

[Burninator]

Obsolete equipment is obsolete, why should they replace it for free? We're talking about a cheap console that you had for 5 years. For me to keep up with the new games i have to get newer hardware almost each year for my PC. As much as a console has standardized specs it's still 5 years old,good for trash bin.

Also, you don't really have a point here. He isn't complaining about his x-box being old. He is fine with his old x-box. What he is complaining about is that Microsoft is cancelling support that he was promised on-sale. They are justifying this by claiming that the console is too old. And sure, it may well be too old, it may well be obsolete! But that shouldn't be the customer's problem. Microsoft promised access to Xbox live. What the hell gives them the right to revoke that all of a sudden? He's done nothing wrong, broken no terms.

Whether or not the console is obsolete is not the question. The question is, does microsoft have a right to break an agreement with a customer, just cause it's convenient. I don't think so.

Though while I think that not being able to play the newer games sucks, I think they're in the right on that count.

 

[Fiz_The_Toaster]

That's totally not cool and that's a dick move. I don't understand how they couldn't at least help you out somehow instead of shrugging and say it's not their problem. I'm not a Xbox owner and that's just wrong, and I could've sworn Microsoft replaced the consoles that were messed with by the update.

This is facinatingly stupid of them. I'm not even an X-Box owner and I think so. They have lost so much already to the first and second (and any other) waves of RROD in their consoles, and now they shoot themselves in the foot with a shotgun with something like this. You see, this is the sort of thing they should never do. A company should try to be accommodating.

I will cite an example that recently occurred with my keyboard.

I had received a Logitech wireless keyboard at one time and I used it on my PS3. Apparently, it wasn't designed for it, but it functioned well anyway...until recently. Now, I couldn't get this to be somehow fixed, per se. It was likely due to the security update that this even happened. But after hearing about my keyboard fiasco, Logitech offered me a more up-to-date console-compatible keyboard AT A DISCOUNT. I still had to pay money, but they did me a favor.

That is the sort of thing Microsoft should be doing, or else it's alienating an entire generation or two of players.

Same thing happened to me. And it also happened to me when I bought a Madcatz arcade controller a few years ago, it just flat out stopped working properly after an update and after I called tech support they helped me out, and I got a new one at a discount.

I will always go to back to companies that do a solid to me like that, which is how ITS SUPPOSED TO BE MICROSOFT.

 

[Worgen]

actually from what I heard they expected the new update to brick some older consoles and they were supposed to have a program in place to replace any bricked ones with new consoles so I would keep calling and bitching about it till they replace it since its not ok to do that sort of thing, its possible you just got an idiot on the phone who didnt know about it

 

[Gmano]

Yeah, actually, both the console retailers releases updates that break their older-model consoles. it's a shame, but i think that, at least in microsoft's case, it will be so that the games will be much better (as this update should be towards the upcoming disc system, which will allow games to contain much more data, and therefore be larger, prettier and longer.

 

[Eri]

This issue sounds like you're leaving out part of the story. Microsoft, as retarded as they can be, said they would replace any 360 affected by the coming update. If your model # isn't affected, then it's clearly hardware related. They don't just screw people for no reason.

 

[Irriduccibilli]

Well my good sir, I have some really good news for you... I mean some extremely good news. Check this video out
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PL_XRtz-Yxk&list=SL
Go to 1:21 if you dont want to watch the whole thing, I believe this will make you happy.

 

[Gmano]

Obsolete equipment is obsolete, why should they replace it for free? We're talking about a cheap console that you had for 5 years. For me to keep up with the new games i have to get newer hardware almost each year for my PC. As much as a console has standardized specs it's still 5 years old,good for trash bin.

Tell me something if steam decided to come out with an update and it literlaly broke every computer that was more then four years old would you still react the same? It has nothing to do with the console being obsolete, infact the console isnt obsolete because it still played games that were coming out today. The problem is that microsoft released an update that broke the console. Hint hin microsoft broke the console, that means microsoft is liable here.

With steam the computer is meant to do more than just play games and the consumer has no guarantee that a game he/she purchases will run. This is not the case for a console, Microsoft has a duty to the newer customers to deliver the updates that they promised and the older customers are getting replacements if their xbox does not work.

 

[Waaghpowa]

It could be worse

But you should be able to get one for free, there was that whole deal with the most recent update bricking some older Xbox's so Microsoft was giving out slims.

 

[Booze Zombie]

They're meant to be replaced if they end up bricked or otherwise reduced in function by an update, Microsoft are supposed to do this for you. You could've just gotten the utterly retarded support staff, you know? They exist everywhere, not to defend Microsoft.

 

[loc978]

Somehow I think the tech support rep there just didn't know her shit and made up an answer on the fly. Who knows, maybe she was quitting that very day and simply didn't care to look it up.

Let me qualify this first: I hate Microsoft. I mean hate them. I never buy a product with any of their branding on it if I can help it, been this way since the 90s, and I've gone so far as to buy a laptop sans OS once. It's really bordering on irrational... but even I know they wouldn't be stupid enough to institute a policy like that.

 

[Silas13013]

I'm just waiting for the next console generation. "your games/accounts don't carry over; sucks to be you -love Microsoft"

SO like what sony did with the PS3?

 

[Cenequus]

Obsolete equipment is obsolete, why should they replace it for free? We're talking about a cheap console that you had for 5 years. For me to keep up with the new games i have to get newer hardware almost each year for my PC. As much as a console has standardized specs it's still 5 years old,good for trash bin.

Tell me something if steam decided to come out with an update and it literlaly broke every computer that was more then four years old would you still react the same? It has nothing to do with the console being obsolete, infact the console isnt obsolete because it still played games that were coming out today. The problem is that microsoft released an update that broke the console. Hint hin microsoft broke the console, that means microsoft is liable here.

It's not if Steam decides it's if Microsoft decides to come up with new software. I've lived the hard transition of win98 to win XP and the fact I couldn't even install games or programs for win98. The PC was fine but the whole system was obsolote. I'm not asking Microsoft that newer games or programs have win98 support since I've paid 200 dollars for that license and it was lifetime.

The problem so isn't the software update but the console beeing to ld to be compatible with,just an older Pnetium couldn't run win xp.Having the same name doesn't mean it's the same console.

To my opinion the OP has the usual US buyer syndrome that feels entitled just because he bought something.