The XBLA glitch that stole Christmas?

wtf? If he had purchased the games they would be the full versions anyway when he logged into live. So in a matter of 30 seconds it managed to download 8 demo games... sure...

Oh and also there is no difference between the demo and full apart from a "key". Hence why the demos are the same size as the full versions.

Anyway this isn't blogging. This is just someone's problem. My washing machine broke down the other day. Would you like to tell your readers that?

I agree with Tob3z. If he clicks "unlock the full version" on one of those so-called demo games and it tells him he has to pony up more money, he should talk to Microsoft about it. If he talks to MS and then reports the problem back to you guys because MS told him to piss off, then maybe you should start looking for other people with the same problem. If there are other people, then maybe you should turn it into a "news" story.

Sheesh why are you two so up in arms about this. Ken is just checking to see if anyone else in the community has ever experienced this problem.

If I were that user I would try to simply unlock those demo games and the box should remember that they have been purchased before and do so without requiring payment. If that doesn't work, call Xbox Support because they keep track of what you've bought and will make it right.

I haven't seen this...

Did a friend by chance log into his console?

I do know if you buy a game from the arcade, it moves with your account.

So if I bought RoboBlitz, but a friend didn't but my friend has the demo, and I log into his console with my Live account, his demo will become the full version while I'm logged in. Then if he logs in, and assuming he's never bought it, it'll revert back to the demo.

Anyway, it sorta sounds like an account issue. Simply call Microsoft. Your arcade titles are always yours no matter what. They should have transaction records.

That happens to me all the time because I'm sometimes playing offline and it just wants to bug out on me. So, I always make sure that i can play my live arcade games before I take it some where

Those are some awfully rude comments. I suggest if you don't like the news reported by this site that you go elsewhere. There are plenty of websites, I'm sure you can find out that will suit your taste.

On the other hand, I too experienced this problem yesterday but it wasn't from my account (gold) it was my wifes account (silver). I called MS and they said that it's a problem with all Live downloads, arcade or video, and that it will be fixed sometime this next week.

Hope that helps make this story newsworthy. So you guys will quit complaining.

I've had this problem before (months ago) with Smash TV. I re-downloaded it, and it works fine for me, but when someone else logs in on my xbox360, it still shows up as the demo for them.

I had something similar happen to me except the arcade game had corrupted data. The game was uno btw. I went into the 360's memory and deleted the bad data. I then accessed the demo again. It asked me if i wanted to redownload the full version. I did. It downloaded and that was it. Full game back when it should be on the box.

I think I remember seeing your transaction record on Passport.net, as I use my Gmail address for MSN Messenger and my Gamertag.

But anyway, I'm sure he could have resolved this himself. Just head to the XBLA, and choose to re-download the full game.

You bought 30 XBLA games!! You sucka!!! LOL

If you're not logged into live MS can't verify that you purchased these games. It's to make sure that users don't pirate the XBLA games. Fixing this just means log into live. A few games won't show this like Hexic because that comes with the HD.

$10 that once he relogged in they went to full versions.

great story ken... ever hear of looking into a news item?

Yes i had the same problems with geometry wars, when im not connected to XBL my geometry wars is in trail mode. Side note I just crack 1,000,000 in it. I had put it down for a couple of months and recently started playing it again.

Not only do XBLA games get associated with your profile, but they're also associated with your 360's serial number.

My original 360 went in for repair (graphics glitch) and Microsoft sent me a new one. I plugged in my old hard drive and it's been fine since.

BUT, whereas all the XBLA games I've bought on this new 360 are fully playable by anyone logged into the system, all the old games I originally bought on my old 360 revert to trial versions whenever anyone else plays them without me being logged into Live (including myself).

I don't know if this applies here, but it's worth noting there's multiple ways for Live to 'lose' the full version of an XBLA game, temporarily.

#1 & #2, please visit cnn.com, as you are too stupid to comprehend that a blog is not a traditional news site. It is a news journal and he can write whatever the hell he wants to write about.

lol owned by post number 1

Basically, if you have to replace your 360, your XBLA games will turn to trial games when you are offline.

Because you are playing on a "different" xbox than the one the games were purchased on, you cannot play offline.

Of course, this policy and form of copy-protection doesn't take into account those who have replaced their systems.

You can read the year old (and still chugging) thread of disappointed 360 owners here:

http://forums.xbox.com/8770353/ShowPost.aspx

Most recently, OXM responded to the issue...by not even addressing it. Here is a thread I have created concerning their response (or lack thereof) on the issue:

http://forum.teamxbox.com/showthread.php?p=8541691

The only solution to anyone this affects: A couple hours haggling with MS, a couple weeks waiting for a call back, and you just might get reimbursed for your points so you can buy all the games again.

This is an issue MS has ignored, since the 360 launch.

This is only because he wasn't connected to xbox live. I had this problem once when it wasn't connected to live and when I was able to reconnect, it showed my live arcade games as full versions again.

nope, its never happened to me...although I only have like 3-4 XBLA games.

That's all well and good, but if you're temporarily without internet access it suddenly becomes a pretty major deal. I hope they do something about that in the future.

Dude... simple solution... Connect to Live when you can, and the games will be back up and running. Most games require a net connection to make sure you own the game, or it will be demo software. Really sucks when I work, because there is no net connection, so I'm not able to play Geometry Wars (Well, I can on PGR3), or DooM.

So, yeah, there you have it.

Later,

iK

So whats wrong with havin 30 arcade games? I have every game but the HardWoods and the new RoboBlitz.

I sometimes bring my xbox to my friends, they do not have an Internet connection. 70% of the games go to trialmode. I could not play Luminus Live co-op.. :( I do think this is a problem and this is not like "my washing machine broke down.. "

Yeah, I totally have this problem with Geometry Wars. Purchased it on my initial premium console, which went red ring of death, and moved the HD to a core system. Full version totally works when I'm connected to Live, but otherwise it reverts to Trial Version. Totally lame if I take my system or HD to a friend's place and they don't have an internet hookup handy, or Live goes down for some reason. Definitely a problem.

I've had the same problem as well. Very frustrating if the internet goes out or like what has been mentioned before, I got to someone's house.

I just got off the phone with CS tech.....My hard drive did not have hexic HD when my console was replaced....After I got my callback they told me they would give me a particular code in 24-48hrs for me to re-download hexic hd... I also asked him regarding this glitch everyone is talking about. He told me that the XBLA games are tied to the CONSOLE not the Hard drive and not the account BUT he did say it is possible to recover the games on a new console....they just wouldnt give you a refund...they would give you a code for you to re-download all the games. Remember this guy was a tech so he knew exactly what I was talking about. My advice for anyone accessing your games . CALL them up b/c it looks they are going to solve in a case by case basis to protect their rights. Some ppl may get the codes other may not.... its just a matter of who you talk to. But they are aware about the problem. Hopefully that helps

@ mightyhealthy - I'm having the same problem - bad XBOX360 returned to EB for replacement, now none of my kids can play any of the downloaded games, all show as demo only. Even worse, this applies to ANY content - all the missions and items purchased for Oblivian are lost (*and it won't let them play the game because "items required are missing..."), all the Halo maps (although they can be downloaded again - but would there now be 2 identical sets on my hard drive? mine, and the re-downloaded ones?). I too called Microsoft, got a case#, but haven't heard a thing since. I'm pissed to say the least.

I have the some problem. Every xbla game gets turned into a demo if I'm not online... which sucks. I just thought this was a M$ ploy to keep my xbox connected to the internet... I think I'm going to call M$ today...

We should all contact Major Nelson because he says his interest is with the gamers, maybe if he heard from all of us he could get someone on the podcast and make some noise that Microsoft could hear.

yes this happened to me but i have to pay to get my games back i dont know what to do!!!!!!!!!!!

I've read that in order to fix this you're supposed to run "Recover Gamertag" with your new system. No clue if that's true, but worth a shot.