Xbox 360 Video Marketplace hurting, Microsoft aware
by James Ransom-Wiley 
{ Nov 24th 2006 at 1:55PM }
No one expected the launch of Microsoft's ambitious HD movie and television download service to run without a hiccup, but the servers took a big enough hit to render the experience useless for numerous Xbox Live users. As the official Video Marketplace forums began to fill with complaints, Major Nelson took a moment to relay Microsoft's concerns to the public:"We understand these technical issues have resulted in a very unpleasant experience for our members, including extremely slow downloads or not receiving the content they purchased. We've made progress over the past 24–hours, and the team is dedicated to fixing the issues and continues to work as fast as they can around the clock to get the service running as seamlessly as you have come to expect."
Downloading will hopefully be stabilized within a few days, but has the damage been done? Will this sloppy roll-out affect Xbox Live's credibility? Perhaps. But as long as Sony and Nintendo remain behind, Microsoft is free to take risks with its online service. Like it or not, Xbox 360 still has the advantage.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
KaneRobot @ Nov 24th 2006 2:00PM
That's why I hope Sony and Nintendo get their act together quickly and actually offer a challenge to the 360 in this aspect.
Right now, Microsoft can have their service down for two days (when they said it would only be for one), and all they do is say "Well, sorry. Too bad." The least they could do is credit everyone with an extra day.
Since there is no competition there is not as large a risk if they piss off their customers.
Sam @ Nov 24th 2006 2:04PM
yo guys look, everything initially always comes out buggy. you just gotta give it time. i mean...look at itunes, zune, ps3, gmail, or even xbox live when it 1st came out a billion years ago. jeez don't have a cow joystiq.
SpasticColon @ Nov 24th 2006 2:07PM
I love my xbox 360 but think that the Video Marketplace is going to bomb. While the idea is fantastic, the implementation is horrible. Finding movies using the xbox dashboard is horrid- it certainly does not seem scalable. Browsing 42 movies online is fine, but what happens when that number exceeds 100? It would only make sense if you knew exactly which movie you were searching for. If you wanted to just browse for movies, good luck. If they had something like Netflix- that would be a different story.
> @ Nov 24th 2006 2:09PM
This is a bandwidth/server issue; so, unless they get a shitload of additional servers online in a hurry i dont see how this is going to be fixed anytime soon.
potato @ Nov 24th 2006 2:11PM
Agreed with #3. The interface on Xbox Live Marketplace could use a LOT of work. The whole video thing I think will bomb for two reasons:
1 - Lack of usability. Look at those menus! XBL likes to stream a lot of menus from the server side, and this usually takes a second or two. This is all fine and dandy until you realize that a lot of content is buried behind 5-6 layers of menus. The whole experience is just rather convoluted and should be streamlined.
2 - Lack of selection. The *only* thing that piques my interest on that list is Jericho, and only because that show totally kicks ass. Where's Battlestar? Gray's? Start getting the same major shows that my TV gets and then we'll talk.
Scott @ Nov 24th 2006 2:20PM
Isn't it funny how every new service, new deal, new online game inevitably blows up the series of tubes that makes up the internet? You'd think these companies would increase capacity to take this into account.
Happened with the big MMORPGs like WoW, EQ, etc. Happened with the XBLM Video. Happened with the Amazon deal for the $100 360 core yesterday.
Ben @ Nov 24th 2006 2:23PM
I agree that the menus could use a little bit of work, but I downloaded two episodes of South Park last night and it worked smoother than expected. So far, the video marketplace has been a great experience for me.
RazorElite @ Nov 24th 2006 2:26PM
What I don't get, is how they couldn't anticipate the major bandwidth and resources this service would require (if in fact that was the reason for the poor service).
ryan @ Nov 24th 2006 2:26PM
#2 the real question is WHY do we let computer/video game companies get away with shipping imcomplete products? its not like movies ever get shipped but the sfx guy forget to do some green screening stuff so they just send out a new reel thats all fixed up.
Jason @ Nov 24th 2006 2:52PM
let's consider for a moment that this could be a good thing and that FAR more people are interested in this than MS ever thought possible in their wildest dreams.
that's what i choose to believe.
Ben @ Nov 24th 2006 2:32PM
#9: Because often times we don't realize that the game is incomplete until after we buy it. Then, after already spending our money, we have nothing left to do but complain.
Corey @ Nov 24th 2006 2:32PM
I downloaded "V for Vendetta" last night and it took nearly twelve hours. I can assure you that the movie was well worth the wait but I do hope they get things fixed up soon. All in all, downloading the movie and watching it "like this" was a great experience. Keep up the great work MS.
Wulkar @ Nov 24th 2006 2:41PM
Well when everyone and they grandma goes and tries to get something the day it comes out what can you expect.
saints rows servers went belly up because everyone was making gangs and that caused sever issues.
Ice Raider @ Nov 24th 2006 2:38PM
I just love how people act like 5 year olds when they don’t get what they want.
The brand new Xbox360 Movie Service doesn’t work!!!!
My Xbox 360 is noisy!!!
My PS3 controller doesn’t rumble!!!!
My PS3 slot loading drive doesn’t work!!!
My Wiimote broke my TV screen!!!!
My Wii is giving me errors!!!!
I work in the IT industry and everyone one of us knows that these problems are inevitable because we can’t account for everything. If we did that either the project would be too expensive or never get off the ground, besides it’s like rush hour traffic on their servers with everyone trying it out right now.
It’s sad that most people see the glass half empty rather than half full.
CKpr @ Nov 24th 2006 2:38PM
I like the fact that MS continues to evolve the product and add new features like this. The LIVE dashboard was arguably pretty cramped and difficult to maneuver initially, but the last few updates have vastly improved the experience. I would expect the same to happen with the video marketplace. I think it's a pretty great first step, and I would expect usability to get better as the product is worked on. M$ seems to be actually listening to the opinions of their consumers and makes decisions accordingly...something that the competition should try once in awhile.
Mike @ Nov 24th 2006 2:43PM
the only prob i got is that my netgear was sucking ass so i changed it to my second router worked great boom got my south park
Concerned @ Nov 24th 2006 2:47PM
Honestly, why the hell are people buying these videos in the first place?
When the Xbox 360 is abandoned in 4 years or so, what's going to happen to the videos? Will it be possible to move the files to the Xbox 3? We don't know yet and somehow I doubt it considering the proprietary hard drive.
The rentals are more expensive that at most video stores, last only 24 hours as opposed to at least a week, and it's quicker to drive for a few minutes than spend time downloading
Then there's the problem about the lack of ownership on the so-called "purchased" content. You're not buying the content, you're buying a license to watch the content. That means you can't convert the video to another format to play on other devices. You lose your first sale rights meaning that you can't resell or give away your content when you don't want it anymore. I don't think that the hundreds of millions of eBay users will be too fond of that.
These downloads are restrictive, a total rip-off, and I hope this service fails.
Joe @ Nov 24th 2006 2:55PM
13: People are pissed because they just payed hundreds of dollars on a game console that doesn't work. Wouldn't you be pissed if the new car you just bought is only running 4 cylinders and not 6? Or if the new house you just bought has an incomplete bath and bedroom?
Also, some of the things you pointed out our major issues. Things such as internet downloads are a minor part, but problems like broken disk drives and error codes are serious. If the 360 launched after the PS3 and Wii and the launch went like it did, the 360 would bomb. Consumers expect the best for the kind of money.
Ben @ Nov 24th 2006 3:03PM
16: You're argument can be applied to any digital media today, with the exception of CDs. ALL DVDs, HD-DVDs, Blu-ray discs, digital music/tv downloads, and digital movie downloads come with copy protection. You do know that it's illegal to illegal to rip a DVD to your hard drive? Likewise, you won't be able to rip HD-DVDs or Blu-ray discs. All digital media has copy protection, so by your logic, we should just stop buying any digital media at all.
Regarding ebay, half the DVDs sold are pirated, so I don't see how resale value on ebay is relevant. Reselling digital media is practically worthless.
BIGGEN @ Nov 24th 2006 3:07PM
since kotaku sucks in the form of leaving comments, i just gotta say that Crecente, the guy that has blogged numerous bitch fests at the expense of LIVE's video service has seriously been looking like a lil bitch over this whole thing. yeah, i'm calling you out Crecente. i love kotaku and joystiq, but i gotta say the bitching that goes on with the above named blogger, is cringing shit to read. i usually love his posts, great writer, but enough with the bitching. give MS a chance to work out the bugs people because the potential for this service far outweighs a few days of downtime.
Jeff @ Nov 24th 2006 3:29PM
"I just love how people act like 5 year olds when they don’t get what they want. "
What, you mean the stuff they *paid* for? Yeah, god forbid people complain when they're getting neither the service nor the products that they've shelled out their hard-earned money for.
I suppose where you live it rains $50's and $100's and the streets are paved with gold. Most people have to work for a living, though, and they have a right to be pissed off when the stuff they buy doesn't work as promised, or when they're charged and their products are then not delivered.
baby sea tuna @ Nov 24th 2006 3:39PM
Wait, this is a problem? I d/l'd an episode of Supernatural yesterday to test out the service and it worked just fine. Took a little longer than I would have liked but not any longer than a torrent file. Huh...
Paul @ Nov 24th 2006 3:47PM
I've been downloading The Shining for 2 days now. The TV episodes downloaded super fast though. I have high hopes for this service
mietha CAG @ Nov 24th 2006 4:42PM
The only real problem is with movie rentals. Since a download is cancelled if it stalls too long, and they try to charge you again if you try to restart the download, I'm not going any where near the movies until it is fixed. The slow download speeds suck, but are to be expected, at first at least. As long as they are working on it, and it's fixed in a week or so, and they refund the points to those screwed out of movie downloads, no harm, no foul. Longer than that, and it's a problem though. And release a bigger f'ing hard drive, dammit. There's plenty of stuff I would buy, but there's just no space.
GIGA @ Nov 24th 2006 5:37PM
Want to know something WORSE than a slow Download? How about being UNABLE to buy Microsoft Points...
That´s what happening to me and lots of friends...
FIX THAT, MICROSOFT!
Hoffer @ Nov 24th 2006 5:07PM
I'm not surprised by this. It's kind of a Catch 22. If they had the server capacity to handle the first couple days, then they'd have too much server next week when the demand is much lower. So, they build the system in anticipation for what normal usage will be like.
A week from now, everything will work as expected and we'll slowly forget these first couple days.
As I type this, my Poseiden download is at 90%. I started downloading it Wednesday morning.
stfu @ Nov 24th 2006 6:34PM
Bunch of fucking cry babies. Seriously 3/4 of the people posting here need to shut the fuck up and enjoy their console of choice.
Mark @ Nov 24th 2006 7:44PM
#16 Concerned: You do realize when you purchase something on a DVD you're actually buying the rights to that? You don't own the movie, you own a right to watch it on the DVD. And, like was mentioned by #16, technically it is illegal to rip to your harddrive. It's called Fair-use. Look it up. Of course, few know about this, or even care about it if they do, but that is how it works. That explains why it's difficult to get permission to move the downloaded show off of the harddrive.
ngs @ Nov 25th 2006 12:56PM
I love it...The PS3 has a patchable problem with resolution switching and it's the end of Sony. Microsoft has a problem with their new download service and it's perfectly fine, and they can patch it without catching alot of flak?
Does anyone else think this sounds a little unfair?
Maybe it's because all the PS3 fans are a bit more mature about this kind of thing...
ill trooper @ Nov 24th 2006 11:11PM
What? The might LIVE takes a Sony-like stumble?
Irish @ Nov 25th 2006 7:49AM
I agree with #13. You should be happy that Microsoft is evolving Marketplace and striving to make it a great experience. Not everyone is going to like what they do, but the have make great strides over the past year to improve the service and make LIVE a great experience.
Considering what the competition has, I am very happy with what Major Nelson and the LIVE crew is doing.
EdensDevil @ Nov 25th 2006 4:08PM
Downloaded Clash of the Titans in 720p 5.2 gigs took 5 hours seems fine to me. Definitely looking forward to some Battlestar Galactica tho!!
Ry_Trapp0 @ Dec 8th 2006 12:20PM
wow, microsoft voluntarily offers an online service, yet when something goes wrong all hell breaks lose! do games even come with an off-line, single player campeign/career mode? i might have to pop in gears of war to find out!!! this place is pathetic, bunch of fricken cry babies. it really shows you that microsoft got xbox LIVE to work though, if people didnt think LIVE was worth the $50 a year then there wouldnt be so many comments on this website bitching about its downtime. and to microsoft i say, job well done sirs!
Moosh @ Nov 27th 2006 1:09AM
OK, I know a lot of people have paid good money for their Xbox 360, but look at it this way -- movie downloading was not a feature announced at launch, it is one of Microsoft's extra features. Would you be mad at Microsoft if they had simply never released the movie download system at all? It's a shame that a few people got the short end of the stick, but in a few weeks from now when you're downloading your movies without a fuss and you're back $10, won't you feel it was worth it to have stayed next to your fireplace/furnace/heater instead of going outside to get the same thing?
Lastly, I implore you - go to your local video rental store and see their selection of HD Movies. Now tell me that your once-lost $10 isn't worth it to have your movie permanently in stock? Netflix is great, but that's a day's delivery (and not on Sundays either) compared to your 5-hour download. Enjoy Xbox marketplace not only for the temporarily shoddy service it is, but for the service it will soon be.