Joe Levi

Before I get to the "begging for help" part, let me quickly tell you who I am:

• I'm a Senior Web Developer for a relatively large company. I use Visual Studio 2008, connect to SQL Server 2005, and use IIS6 on Server 2003.

• I own two copies of Visa Ultimate Edition (one for my Tablet PC, one for my Media Center server).

• I've had Windows Mobile devices since I replaced my Newton MessagePad 130 with a Casio Palm Sized PC (and currently have an AT&T Tilt).

• I was an early adopter of the XBOX Original.

• I bought one of the first Zune's to market.

• I use BlogEngine.NET to run my personal blog, and SharePoint 3 for my family portal.

• In short, I'm a Microsoft supporter through and through.

Christmas 2006 I finally talked my wife into replacing our XBOX Original with an XBOX360. We bought it and a handful of games the week before Christmas. Christmas Eve we set it all up. It was dead right out of the box. Technical Support told me to take it back for an exchange, that took 3 days. XBOX360 pretty much ruined Christmas for me that year.

I attended MIX07 and was very grateful that Microsoft sponsored such a cool event, and provided us developers with XBOX360 consoles and games to relax at between sessions and after the block.

At this year's event, MIX08, Microsoft sponsored a Rockband tournament. Wow. I was sold. After I got back from MIX08, before I even got home from the airport, I stopped into my local store and purchased the full Rockband set. I played it once and my family loved it.

Over the next few days my XBOX360 started having problems reading discs. Finally it wouldn't play DVDs at all and when I pop in Rockband my XBOX360 politely tells me that I have to play my game in an XBOX360 console (it tells me this in about 10 languages, just in case I don't get the point). So my XBOX360 has forgotten that it's an XBOX360.

I use my XBOX360 as a Media Center Extender for my Vista Ultimate box in the server closet (yes, I have a server closet in my home), and for the kids to play their DVDs in. Once it stopped reading discs I had to replace it with my old XBOX Original, so now we can't watch any TV that my Media Center has been recording for us, we can't play any games, and I can't unwind by rocking out with Rockband or fragging some Covenant Troops on Halo3 after a hard day of coding.

I called technical support. Yes, it's a hardware error. Yes, my hardware is in the "suspect group" that runs a high risk of getting a "red ring of death." But no, since my hardware failed in a different manner than the red-ringers, I'll cost me $99 for out-of-warranty repair.

I just bought another year's subscription to XBOX Live! for $50. I recently purchased $50 worth of Microsoft Points and used them to download Live Marketplace items that now I can't watch. So I asked for a refund. The first level of technical support couldn't help with that so I asked to speak to a manager. The manager said I'd have to talk to XBOX Live! Support for that, and I asked him to 3-way conference us so he wasn't just "passing the buck." He couldn't do that so I asked to speak with his manager. That manager said in no uncertain terms that "under no condition does Microsoft provide refunds for Live subscriptions, points purchases, or Marketplace downloads, even if the customer does not have an XBOX with which to use them." That floored me so I had him verify that to me 3 times. Further, he stated, "policy does not allow us to offer warranty repair on out-of-warranty consoles" and "policy prohibits waiving the out-of-warranty repair fee."

I'm sorry, but I'm not going to pay to have my XBOX360 repaired. I think Microsoft should foot the bill for that. If Microsoft doesn't want to do that then I need a refund for the $100 bucks that I just sunk into a Live subscription, Points, and Marketplace purchases. I'd also like a refund for the $150+ that I just spend on Rockband that I guess I'll never be able to play again.

After having been burned by a DOA XBOX360 on Christmas Eve, and now being burned immediately after dropping $150 on Rockband, I'm really doubting the XBOX360 hardware and feel this might be a good time to switch away from Microsoft for my gaming console -- and since my Vista Ultimate Media Center decision was based on it being able connect with my XBOX360, maybe that bears switching over to Linux' MythPC Media Center.

Obviously I don't want to throw in the towel with XBOX360, I want to keep my setup the way it is. But it's becoming apparent to me that Microsoft doesn't care about us loyal customers, nor loyal developers, regardless of how much money in subscription services and DRM locked content tied to the console they've invested.

Can you or anyone at Microsoft prove me wrong?

- Joe Levi
   www.JoeLevi.com

Update 4/10/2008, 16:30

I emailed my concern to Major Nelson who asked for my case number, which I provided. A few hours later I got a call from Chad(?) in response to "an escalation to the Vice President's Office".

Good news and bad news and bad news:

Good news: they're willing to refund the $50 for my XBOX Live Gold subscription (which is contrary to what both supervisor Wade and manager Andrew told me last night).

Bad news: they're not willing to refund any remaining (and unused) Microsoft Points (I don't think they're transferable, are they?) nor any recent Live Marketplace purchases (and though I didn't ask, I'm sure they wouldn't have enabled me to move these off the XBOX360 hard drive to, say, a .WMV to watch on my computer), nor for my $150+ purchase of Rockband (according to Andrew).

Bad news: they're not willing to take care of the repair under warranty, or waive the out-of-warranty repair charge.

I illustrated this by saying "so you're saying that Microsoft is more willing to lose $50 right now, plus all future revenue that would have come through accessories, games, Marketplace purchases, and future subscriptions to XBOX Live for a lousy $99?" Yup. Wow.

So I paid the extortion money to be able to repair my console, watch my purchased content, game, and use up my Microsoft Points. Sure, I could have gone to my credit card company and contested the Live and Points purchases, but that would have taken time and effort and may not have worked out in my favor... I feel so dirty... and so much like Microsoft doesn't care and has trapped their customers so they can't leave when they want to. And this is coming from a guy who supports the "all connected" manta of Microsoft.

I guess they have a year to try to win me back. They're off to a really rocky start.

 

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