XBLA games. Had them, got new xbox, lost them.

mr ryles

mr ryles

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Here is the rundown, there are 3 different profiles on my xbox 360 that access xbox live, My 360 first broke about a year ago, I sent it in for repairs, they didn't send me back my original, instead they sent me a different one.

Now any xbox live arcade games I downloaded before I sent in the 360 and got a new one won't work for the other profiles. They still work for me as I originally downloaded and paid for them. But to the other 2 profiles they are just trial versions and they have to pay to get the full game. Is there anyway to fix this so that the other profiles can access the games?

There has to be some kind of trick.
 
This is why I don't consider these downloads a purchase. It's basically an extended rental. You don't own anything.

What's happened is if you run it on anything but the original box, you can only use it when connected to the Live service with that original profile (and then only if you have broadband up and running, and only if Microsoft is still running their authentication service, which won't be around forever, etc.)

You can call and complain, but beyond that, DON'T put up with these rentals in the future. They suck, and most people don't seem to be understanding what they're paying for until it's too late.
 
no way around it. this is MS' half assed and ultimately frustrating protection of XBL games. If I'm ever without an internet connection, I can't play most of my games since I've switched xboxes a few times.
 
I was hoping there was a secret trick around it. Like deleting the game and then re downloading it or something. I thought about trying, but I didn't want to lose my game and have to pay for it again if it didn't work.
 
There is no trick. The games are tied to the console they are purchased on and the gamertag.

Since, you no longer have the console, they are only tied to your gamertag.
 
if I call and bitch about them giving me a different console than the one I sent in for repair thus them causing me to lose my games, you think I could get them back?
 
[quote name='mr ryles']if I call and bitch about them giving me a different console than the one I sent in for repair thus them causing me to lose my games, you think I could get them back?[/QUOTE]
Perhaps.
 
It'll be like pulling teeth put MS should help you out if you're persistent enough. My friend got like $70 worth of Microsoft Points for compensation but it took forever and it got to be a pain dealing with customer service.

As long as you're connected to the internet you can get around it though. Plug in a second controller and sign in as the XBL account that purchased the content and it'll unlock it for both accounts. You have to be connected to XBL at all times though, otherwise it'll lock you out or revert to the trail versions.
 
[quote name='Mojimbo']It'll be like pulling teeth put MS should help you out if you're persistent enough. My friend got like $70 worth of Microsoft Points for compensation but it took forever and it got to be a pain dealing with customer service.

As long as you're connected to the internet you can get around it though. Plug in a second controller and sign in as the XBL account that purchased the content and it'll unlock it for both accounts. You have to be connected to XBL at all times though, otherwise it'll lock you out or revert to the trail versions.[/QUOTE]

I think I can manage that controller trick. Good lookin out.
 
It is possible to get them re-downloaded. I had a hell of a time when I tried to get some game reinstalled on my console. Here's the deal:

When you purchase any Marketplace content, it is registered once with your console and your gamertag. Anyone who uses the content on that console will have access to the full version. If the console is replaced, the purchaser of the content still has access ONLY while connected to Xbox Live. This was implemented so you don't just go off downloading stuff to other people's consoles. It's really pathetic copyright protection, basically.

You can call and complain to Microsoft, and you can/will be successful but I would suggest doing this only if absolutely necessary. Here's why:

MICROSOFT'S CUSTOMER SERVICE SUCKS ASS.

You will have to complain to at least two people, one of them probably being a supervisor. Once you convince them that you aren't fucking around and you want what's yours, they will send a request for however many points you specify to their billing department, or whatever. This request takes a few days. Yes, that's right. A few days, sometimes a week. It's bullshit. They don't just have a button to press that says "refund Mr. Gamer Guy XXXX points."

Now, since you already purchased them on your gamertag, Live knows this... that means you won't be able to re-purchase the item on your gamertag. So you'll either have to give all those points to one of the gamertags on your console or create a new silver account so they can send the points to that one. That way, when you buy the content again, it will register with that gamertag and, once again, your console.

It's a fucking god damn pain in the fucking ass. But if you want them to be able to play the games, if they're wanting to play them, then go for it. It sucks, and you'll definitely end the call with a headache, but at least you'll have full access restored.

Heck... if there's some games that your other tags don't want to play that means you'll have leftover points. That means new games for you.

I haven't called in my points lately (something like 30,000 points they owe me to restore full access) because I just don't feel like putting up with them and my wife isn't interested in any games I've bought, so currently it's not worth it. But you can be damn sure I'll do it in the future.

Good luck to you, and be sure to take some Excedrin before you call MS.
 
It's not that hard, when I had mine exchanged, I called them up, they transferred me up to some tier 2 support, and called me back within 48 hours with codes for points to add to a silver account. Got my points, repurchased the games, and all was good to go.
 
Its going to be an even bigger pain in the ass when you go through all this trouble to replace your games...and then your current 360 dies.

I wouldn't even bother until the new 65nm 360s come out.
 
[quote name='lordwow']I'm surprised no Cheapasses have thought to do this on a console only they use and end up with a bunch of free points.[/quote]

I probably would try that if when my 360 dies, it will be little compensation for being without the console for a few weeks however.
 
[quote name='Wolfpup']This is why I don't consider these downloads a purchase. It's basically an extended rental. You don't own anything.

What's happened is if you run it on anything but the original box, you can only use it when connected to the Live service with that original profile (and then only if you have broadband up and running, and only if Microsoft is still running their authentication service, which won't be around forever, etc.)

You can call and complain, but beyond that, DON'T put up with these rentals in the future. They suck, and most people don't seem to be understanding what they're paying for until it's too late.[/QUOTE]


That only took you ten minutes. You have a program that scans the forums for any types of posts like these so you can launch into your diatribe?
 
[quote name='shipwreck']All you have to do to use the content you already bought is sign into your account with a second controller. Then she will have access to everything that you have bought. You just have to be connected to Live to use the content.[/QUOTE]

Problem solved!....kinda but at least you dont have to buy everything again.
 
[quote name='CocheseUGA']That only took you ten minutes. You have a program that scans the forums for any types of posts like these so you can launch into your diatribe?[/QUOTE]

:roll: What's your problem? You're actually DEFENDING this? Unbelievable.
 
[quote name='Wolfpup']:roll: What's your problem? You're actually DEFENDING this? Unbelievable.[/QUOTE]

I'm rapping on what appears to be 75% of your posts, complaining about how the digital rights on the Wii and 360.

Quit complaining about it like we're supposed to be able to do something about it.
 
okay, this is good to know that they'll refund the points--- cause I have a crapload of games I can't play offline.


I hope you don't have to have the original console's serial #....cause that is long gone.
 
[quote name='Apossum']okay, this is good to know that they'll refund the points--- cause I have a crapload of games I can't play offline.


I hope you don't have to have the original console's serial #....cause that is long gone.[/QUOTE]

That's why you take pictures for insurance purposes. ;)

One of the first things I do, actually, when I buy anything electronic.
 
[quote name='CocheseUGA']I'm rapping on what appears to be 75% of your posts, complaining about how the digital rights on the Wii and 360.

Quit complaining about it like we're supposed to be able to do something about it.[/QUOTE]

1) This is clearly exactly what the original poster is having an issue with.
2) EVERYONE should be sounding the alarm on this. YOU need to stop complaining about people complaining about it. That's ludicrous, and clearly many people don't know what they're "buying".
 
[quote name='Wolfpup']1) This is clearly exactly what the original poster is having an issue with.
2) EVERYONE should be sounding the alarm on this. YOU need to stop complaining about people complaining about it. That's ludicrous, and clearly many people don't know what they're "buying".[/QUOTE]

What's going to happen when the new Xbox comes out? Are you going to complain about how we can't play the games on that one?

It's common sense: it's their game, you either play by their rules or don't play. Their rules are, for as long as you own your system, you get to play the games anytime you want. It's already been established that you can get the games moved to a different console if you call them. Want to wait for a press release, we'll see you next-gen.

Does it suck that they don't automatically make the games work with other profiles, but you can tell them you want the full versions of the game back, not some half-hearted attempt to appease you. Multiple people have already said that they got the points credited back to do just that.

You've never bought games with this system, just points. Much like the tokens at an arcade, there are always going to be some limitations to how the system works. If you didn't reply with the exact same canned response every single time, perhaps it wouldn't grate me the wrong way. Why don't you tell us what YOU have done to try and solve the issue?
 
[quote name='CocheseUGA']
It's common sense: it's their game, you either play by their rules or don't play.[/quote]

Their rules however, are NOT common sense. They do NOT make sense for consumers, and are worse than pre-existing DRM schemes.

Quite obviously many people do NOT know what they're getting in to.
 
Well back to the original non-chest-beating conversation... when my 360 dies what should I do to get my XBL games and content? I have an extended warranty with BB and figured I would exchange it there and get a brand new hopefully cheaper 65nm 360 but if I use my BB warranty will I be given a more difficult time than if I returned it to MS? Who has returned to MS and tried to get games and what was your experience and how about those who used a retail extended warranty?
 
[quote name='Wolfpup']Huh? Since when am I a fanboy?[/quote]

Shit! I just realized I had you confused with someone else. Dude, I'm so sorry about that. Mods feel free to clean up this thread of my stupidity.
 
Damn I just checked online for the status of my xbox and it looks like I'm getting a refurb one..

The only XBLA games I had were Aegis Wing, Bankshot Billards 2 and that one game that came with the hard drive lol..
 
I think everyone in this situation should force them to give you the points. It's the only way they are ever going to change it, if it costs them more $$$.
 
[quote name='porieux']I think everyone in this situation should force them to give you the points. It's the only way they are ever going to change it, if it costs them more $$$.[/QUOTE]


Good point. This is something they could fix through software, if they want to. If it costs them enough to keep doing the lame manual work around, they might actually fix it.

It's going to become increasingly important as more and more real games (ie not robotron clones ;) ) get released through it.
 
This is an absolutely ridiculous system. Microsoft knows it's got to be a pain in the behind for anyone who has their console brick on them.
 
you guys think this is bad? The wii system is a brick wall...if you get rid of the system for any reason other than repairs, you lose your games completely, even though they are still linked to your mynintendo account (the proof that you bought them.)

anyway, I'm calling them right now. sweet, I love being on hold for 40 minutes



edit: yeah, just got through, talked with a supervisor, and got nowhere. we were arguing for about 20 minutes. oh well...
 
[quote name='Wolfpup']1) This is clearly exactly what the original poster is having an issue with.
2) EVERYONE should be sounding the alarm on this. YOU need to stop complaining about people complaining about it. That's ludicrous, and clearly many people don't know what they're "buying".[/quote]

You are absolutely right.

At the very least Microsoft is practicing false advertising and deceptive marketing. However I think consumers are losing many important rights in the digital age because people don't understand or speak up about getting screwed over as a result of manipulative IP sales tactics and DRM.
 
[quote name='Apossum']you guys think this is bad? The wii system is a brick wall...if you get rid of the system for any reason other than repairs, you lose your games completely, even though they are still linked to your mynintendo account (the proof that you bought them.)

anyway, I'm calling them right now. sweet, I love being on hold for 40 minutes



edit: yeah, just got through, talked with a supervisor, and got nowhere. we were arguing for about 20 minutes. oh well...[/QUOTE]

What? I thought you could just re-download them.
 
[quote name='ZForce915']Why wouldn't you just keep your HD before sending the system in?[/QUOTE]

Doesn't matter if you keep your HD. It's license is tied to the console, not the HD.
 
[quote name='Apossum']you guys think this is bad? The wii system is a brick wall...if you get rid of the system for any reason other than repairs, you lose your games completely, even though they are still linked to your mynintendo account (the proof that you bought them.)

anyway, I'm calling them right now. sweet, I love being on hold for 40 minutes



edit: yeah, just got through, talked with a supervisor, and got nowhere. we were arguing for about 20 minutes. oh well...[/QUOTE]


You know, I actually agree with them. Those games are going to be played by someone else, meaning NOA won't get any money for those games out of that person.

It sucks that you can't play them on a new console, but I guess that's buyers remorse?
 
[quote name='ZForce915']What? I thought you could just re-download them.[/QUOTE]


you can't play them off-line which is annoying. though it's rare for me to be somewhere with my xbox and without an internet connection, I still feel it's incredibly pointless to not let you play offline even when you can totally prove you're the original downloader and that you aren't screwing them....


You know, I actually agree with them. Those games are going to be played by someone else, meaning NOA won't get any money for those games out of that person.

It sucks that you can't play them on a new console, but I guess that's buyers remorse?
Click to expand...

see, I think Nintendo's policy is extremely harsh and kind of needless considering anyone who would want to pirate those games would have a 1000 times over by now on their PC. lets face it: almost all of Nintendo's back catalog is one click away. and it's not necessarily the case that the person who bought it will be able to play them, since people should initialize their consoles before selling them. (and on a side note, I've bought 2 wiis from them, so it sord of goes both ways on the money issue ;) )

I just think there should be a system in place where you can prove you're the original owner and keep your rights to a game regardless of the console.


and on a side note, why would my post about EULAs get deleted while posts with people calling each other fanboys stay? christ the moderation is weak around here :roll:
 
After I got mine back earlier this year, I found out that for a now, former, room mate to play most of the games, he had to sign into my tag and set me as invisible. As for the games that he bought with his points, I have to sign into his and set him as invisible. Before, didn't have to bother with it. If you ask me, its pretty stupid as well
 
[quote name='CocheseUGA']You are talking about the company that stuck with carts, then made weiner-sized GD/DVDs to prevent copying.[/QUOTE]


and the company that sued Blockbuster for renting NES games ;)
 
[quote name='CocheseUGA']You know, I actually agree with them. Those games are going to be played by someone else, meaning NOA won't get any money for those games out of that person.

It sucks that you can't play them on a new console, but I guess that's buyers remorse?[/quote]

Yeah, as there's no hard drive for you to keep, the games went with the Wii. In their mind, you probably left them on the console, and now they'll never be able to sell those games to that user.

Are Wii games attached to the console in any way? Could one in theory copy them over to an SD card for use elsewhere? I don't have access to a second Wii to even try, but I wonder, what exactly are they doing for protection?
 
[quote name='Apossum']and the company that sued Blockbuster for renting NES games ;)[/quote]

Is that so outlandish? Nowadays rental companies have to buy more expensive "rental copies", helping to offset the losses a company takes when consumers rent instead of buy, but back then Blockbuster was doing nothing but leeching off Nintendo's work.
 
[quote name='contej85']Yeah, as there's no hard drive for you to keep, the games went with the Wii. In their mind, you probably left them on the console, and now they'll never be able to sell those games to that user.

Are Wii games attached to the console in any way? Could one in theory copy them over to an SD card for use elsewhere? I don't have access to a second Wii to even try, but I wonder, what exactly are they doing for protection?[/QUOTE]

Yes, Wii games are attached to the console in the same way. You can copy them off, but you can't use them anywhere else. Sony does the exact same thing. I think in Sony's case you can "authorize" up to 5 systems, but still not deauthorize any. I just want the ability to authorize/deauthorize a system at will, like you can with iTunes. Even if you can only use one system at a time, that's okay as long as you can manually manage it yourself.

Maybe slightly harder to set up, but they need to do it, all three companies. It's going to quickly pay for itself just not having to deal with support questions about it.
 
This is pretty much the reason why I'm sitting on $100 worth of points and haven't spent a dime so far. My original 360 is going to be sent for repairs so I doubt I'll ever buy any DLC until a year or two from now when all Elites are fitted with the 65-nm chipset.
 
[quote name='contej85']Yeah, as there's no hard drive for you to keep, the games went with the Wii. In their mind, you probably left them on the console, and now they'll never be able to sell those games to that user.

Are Wii games attached to the console in any way? Could one in theory copy them over to an SD card for use elsewhere? I don't have access to a second Wii to even try, but I wonder, what exactly are they doing for protection?[/QUOTE]

If you were to "sell" your console with intenton to buy it again someday do you need to delete your VC titles to retain the rights or are you screwed if your console ever breaks?
 
So let me get this straight, once my 360 dies and I put the hard drive on a new one, all my arcade games won't work?
 
[quote name='contej85']Is that so outlandish? Nowadays rental companies have to buy more expensive "rental copies"[/QUOTE]
No, they don't. They never have. This myth got started back in the 80's when VHS tapes were "priced for rental" or "priced to own" when they were released. No one can control what you do books, movies, CDs, etc once they've sold them. It's called the First-sale doctrine and has been around for almost 100 years.

The only reason software can be controlled is because it's licensed. That's how software rental was shut down in the late 80's (early 90's?). I used to rent Commodore 64 games in the mid 80's.
 
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