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MS Has No Answer For Their Broken XBOX Live DRM!
MS Has No Answer For Their Broken XBOX Live DRM!
Consumerist - February 12, 2008
Submitted by apujanata (14935) at 3:53PM PST on February 12, 2008
This new replacement console (for RROD) has a different S/N, which cause all downloaded content only works now when the purchasing profile is signed into Xbox live. Additional profiles on the system can no longer access the content. I can no longer access the content when I'm not signed into Xbox Live. So any internet issues with my system or Xbox Live (which experienced serious problems for most of last month) means I can no longer use the items I have purchased.
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1sagexsdx posted on Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) at 5:50PM PST on February 12, 2008. RE: MS Has No Answer For Their Broken XBOX Live DRM!@apujanata,
no its a valid article since this does happen. i'm just saying that the site just overexaggerates it and makes it worse than it seems.
i mean im in the same situation where my stuff wont work unless im on xbox live. that really isn't too big a problem for me. there are times when i have my 360 elsewhere where there isnt any internet and that kind of sucks. one instance is where i wanted to play the halo song for guitar hero 3 and it wasn't available unless i was online.
anyway yeah i never disagreed that it sucks. it does suck. what can ms do for the users? they can make it not be drm'd but then they'll suffer sales problems like the psp did. u know that elspa quote about 90% of ds users pirate? it's actually a lot closer in accuracy in meaning when u talk about the psp (not REALLY but it is pretty rampant)
ultimately (and i know i'm being anti consumer and pro business here), it's really the fault of consumers back in the 5.25" and 3.5" floppy days who would make endless copies of games. people want things that they haven't paid for.
i think the psn side, (iirc) they have 5 licenses per purchase so i guess if you broke 4 ps3s then u'd still be okay. but that means a possible 4 extra sales lost on digital distro.
anyway content rights and drm is altogether a very sticky issue not limited to the xbox 360[ Oracle ] [ Level 21 ] [ Rank: 148 ]bids
1ItachiItachi posted on Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) at 5:35PM PST on February 12, 2008. RE: MS Has No Answer For Their Broken XBOX Live DRM!@apujanata,
I heard of other people with this problem. It seems like a reasonable complaint since there where would be no problem in the first place if the hardware weren't faulty.[ Oracle ] [ Level 19 ] [ Rank: 463 ]bids
1apujanata posted on Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) at 4:54PM PST on February 12, 2008. RE: MS Has No Answer For Their Broken XBOX Live DRM!@sagexsdx,
I see. Should I remove this article (since it is not a reliable one) ?
The reason I post this is because there was a problem with Xbox Live (in Dec), which caused many people to be unable to log in, and therefore could not play their game in online mode (and causing those RROD-ed console download content to be inactive, until Xbox Live is working / online, and the owner of those RROD-ed download content are able to go online).
If Xbox Live is 365x 24 hour available, then this should not be a big problem. But if Xbox Live is only 99% available, and you wanted to play your purchased game at that 1% moment, and you couldn't play because you could not log-in (because Xbox Live is down ATM), will you be upset ? Especially if you have limited gaming time (like me) ?[ Oracle ] [ Level 30 ] [ Rank: 14935 ]bids
1sagexsdx posted on Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) at 4:46PM PST on February 12, 2008. RE: MS Has No Answer For Their Broken XBOX Live DRM!@sagexsdx,
by the way, this article did hit a nerve because it's very overexaggerated and also consumerist is frequently (to the point of being the majority of the time) anti-companies and sensationalizing its content.
just a few days ago they posted internal phone numbers for support and also the emails of all the execs telling people to bombard them with complaints. this is NOT professional journalism.[ Oracle ] [ Level 21 ] [ Rank: 148 ]bids
1sagexsdx posted on Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) at 4:44PM PST on February 12, 2008. RE: MS Has No Answer For Their Broken XBOX Live DRM!@apujanata,
this has been a known issue for a long time. it's been known since about a year into the console's life. the content is tied to the gamertag AND the console unless the gamertag is online.
the reason for this is easily understandable as having an offline profile that can run content anywhere would mean rampant piracy, another thing that would decrease sales of XBLA and (though overexaggerated, really) "affect X360" sales.
also from the people i have heard who have gone ahead and dealt with this situation by contacting support have gotten their problems resolved. not in a timely manner mind you. but still it was resolved by a month's time.
this problem has been acknowledged by microsoft's people such as major nelson and they've always said to contact support about it and they can retie the content with the new console.
is it a hassle and an inconvenience? yes. however it's not microsoft stealing from you. you still own the content and can play it while being online. should microsoft fix it? yes. but thinking of a good way to fix it is more important than just "fixing" it.[ Oracle ] [ Level 21 ] [ Rank: 148 ]bids
2apujanata posted on Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) at 3:55PM PST on February 12, 2008. RE: MS Has No Answer For Their Broken XBOX Live DRM!@apujanata,
Additional post from the article :
Yesterday, February 7th, Frank (Microsoft) calls to tell me he will no longer be working on my case because there is nothing he can do. I ask if he is passing me onto someone else who will handle it and he says he is not. I ask if there is anyone I can call for status updates on my issue and he says there is not. I ask him when I can expect it to be resolved and he says I quote: "hopefully sometime in 2008." I ask to speak to a supervisor and he refuses assuring me there is nothing that can be done. Apparently my issue is being handled by the "Live Team" but whoever this team is they do not talk to any department outside their own, they do not give ETAs.
If this news spread out, it might decrease sales of XBLA content, and if it is coupled by the Xbox Live problem (that happened in the past), it might also affect X360 sales.[ Oracle ] [ Level 30 ] [ Rank: 14935 ]bids
8apujanata posted on Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) at 3:53PM PST on February 12, 2008. Article: MS Has No Answer For Their Broken XBOX Live DRM!This new replacement console (for RROD) has a different S/N, which cause all downloaded content only works now when the purchasing profile is signed into Xbox live. Additional profiles on the system can no longer access the content. I can no longer access the content when I'm not signed into Xbox Live. So any internet issues with my system or Xbox Live (which experienced serious problems for most of last month) means I can no longer use the items I have purchased.[ Oracle ] [ Level 30 ] [ Rank: 14935 ]
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Since you are ok with it not removed, I will just let this article stay.
Thanks for the heads up that consumerist is a little bit unreliable / tend to over-exaggerate (a lot). I will try to refrain from posting their article in the future (I know that news site need sensationalist article to help get more audience, but I don't support that kind of attitude, especially the more extreme, bordering on lying, ones).