Microsoft wants to say "sowwy" for the intermittent Xbox Live issues
plaguing the service over the holiday, and they'd like to
apologize with a free Xbox Live Arcade game.
Major Nelson posts a letter from Marc Whitten, general manager of Xbox Live, which has a lot of customer service filler in it until the line about a free XBLA game for "all our Xbox Live members around the world" --
India is going to be psyched!
The letter says specific details are forthcoming, so now we're left wondering if there'll be a couple options or if it's just gonna be free
Frogger for everyone. If that's the case, then someone is gettin' thrown under a car! Get it?
Sigh.
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
ChiTownRuler23 @ Jan 4th 2008 12:59AM
if its yaris ima get pissed
Grant @ Jan 4th 2008 1:15AM
yaris is already free.
the only way they could make yaris a better deal is if they pay you to play it.... and considering how bad it sucks, they probably should.
jack in the xbox @ Jan 4th 2008 2:46AM
Does it really matter? XBL is still not running smoothly up to this very minute with no indication in site as to when it will be back to it's overhyped, overpriced self. Come people. you can do it. get a little angry. just for me. just a little. Don't you feel a little a like a pigeon crapped on your head? just a little? I mean, when does the bleeding stop? HUH??? RROD was one thing, but for heaven's sake, this is "XBOX LIVE" we're talking about here.
Slaziman (B-B-BRUSHED WITH FAAAAME) @ Jan 4th 2008 6:05AM
dude jack, I started thinking you were just a good old troll, but after that last post, I think you might really be a sociopath.
Sure freaked me out there.
mike @ Jan 4th 2008 9:33AM
WTF a free game? I dont want that. Currently I dont want to pay for anything on marketplace I dont already own, so why would I want one of those games free? How about extending my live subscription for a week or 2? You take away apples from me and in compensation im giving oranges, how lame.
ushman @ Jan 4th 2008 10:27AM
I think he was joking, but I hope they do a pool of games or a new release.
PeacefulOutrage @ Jan 4th 2008 10:34AM
I see what you mean, Jack. Although I empathize with you (I'm in the same boat you're in), companies don't usually admit when their service suffers and offer anything as an apology. I used to work for Comcast internet support, and they didn't want to compensate people unless the service was completely out for more than a day. The standard line was "We have less than 1% downtime". There is usually fine print with ISPs that the quality of service is NOT guaranteed unless you have deep pockets on a corporate account with a nice service contract.
I'm glad they're doing something, it would be cool if it was like 400 points, but I won't hold my breath.
Philip @ Jan 4th 2008 1:01AM
Knowing Microsoft it will probably be something that they already gave away free like Hold'em Poker or Carcassonne.
Blue_Falcon @ Jan 4th 2008 1:02AM
Free is always nice, and I'm glad to see MS offering up something free like this.
Whatever it is, I hope I don't own it. But even if I do own whatever they offer, at least it's good to know they're willing to try to make it up when stuff like this happens.
jack in the xbox @ Jan 4th 2008 1:45AM
what a wuss. there will be absolutely no vaseline for u next time.
Crono (NDF - Knight of the Old School) @ Jan 4th 2008 10:54AM
jack (of no trades) in the xbox?
Booxatron @ Jan 4th 2008 12:13PM
Crono-
Your reply is in the wrong place, but I had the exact same thought the moment I saw that name....whatever happened to that guy?
ComradeTrotskii @ Jan 4th 2008 1:50PM
Crono- He went to better place, one slightly less full of idiots (no disrespect to the majority of people or the writers of Joystiq but the good certainly does come with the bad here). He is well liked in his new home. This is all assuming it's the same guy and not just someone using the same name.
ComradeTrotskii @ Jan 4th 2008 1:51PM
Sorry, that reply was to Booxatron
bender @ Jan 4th 2008 5:10PM
He's not Jack of no Trades. Remember he has always been 360>ps3>>>>>>wii. I'd say he was the equivalant, but opposite of Fernando.
David @ Jan 4th 2008 1:07AM
Wish they'd give us MS Points so we could buy an Arcade game rather than get a "free" one.
Sam406 @ Jan 4th 2008 1:46AM
I can't get over how awesome your avatar is.
Did you make it you're self?
MasterInsan0 @ Jan 4th 2008 2:15AM
"Did you make it you're self?"
Here's what you just said:
"Did you make it you are self?"
Your = shows possession, as in "your guitar". You're = you are, as in "you're playing your guitar".
TheMoonman @ Jan 4th 2008 2:22AM
Holy Jesus dude you don't have to be such a grammar nazi.
MrMustard @ Jan 4th 2008 11:29AM
Yeah I did. It was during the Mario Avatar Blitz that I felt like having a Mario Avatar of my own. The idea came at me and I frantically searched for anything like it. Luckily, no one claimed it, so I got one hell of an avatar. :D
Slaziman (B-B-BRUSHED WITH FAAAAME) @ Jan 4th 2008 6:08AM
I was just about to post how awesome his avatar still is (said it a few times already) before I saw your post.
Bah here it goes anyway: that avatar kicks ass.
Farseer (GDI) @ Jan 4th 2008 8:37AM
I agree - the best scenario would be a gift of 800-1000 MS points to XBL users to be redeemed towards an XBLA download. That is, unless the decide to make REZ HD a free download for the first week.... I would be more than OK with that.
baby sea tuna @ Jan 4th 2008 10:30AM
^^
$10 compensation for $1.50 worth of network downtime? Yeah, MS is one of the most financially sucessful corporations in the world because they continually make business decisions as fiscally responsible as your suggestion.
SID SPACE @ Jan 4th 2008 1:09AM
You are forgiven.
flameofdoom666 @ Jan 4th 2008 2:39AM
I love your Killer 7 icon! Damn I love that game!
LiK @ Jan 4th 2008 1:09AM
haha, sweet, i called it. ^.^
Grant @ Jan 4th 2008 1:13AM
chances are, if the game is good and released, i already have it.
i hope they make it a new non-craptacular game.
Doritoes dinosaur chaser crap anyone?
CharleyTony @ Jan 4th 2008 1:14AM
Stop complaining guys,, we got what we wanted,, some retribution for the Xbox Live outtage !!!
Hope it a selection of games or a really good new one .... maybe Schizoid since its the XNA game and Microsoft is publishing it !!
Shinagani @ Jan 4th 2008 8:16AM
No, what I wanted was to play COD4 last night with my friends...
NATO_Duke @ Jan 4th 2008 10:38AM
The gamer drama is such a joke - you couldn't play with your frieds, too bad. Go get a cookie.
Things break, phone lines go down, electricity goes out, cars crash, computers lag and sh*t happens. So you and others had some Live problems, now you all want to bitch to get something for free. Oh wait, you are getting something for free and you're bitching for more!
I can't believe you think that everything should work perfect every second of the day or else the world is falling apart.
Them giving anything to you is a bonus and you should be happy they stepped up.
ogvor @ Jan 4th 2008 1:27AM
The game in question better be one that is free the day of release (so no one has bought it already) or give us a choice. They'll only make some people angrier if they pick some popular title (even mildly so) that people already owned. Hopefully they'll just let us choose any 400 or 800 MS point game.
daniel @ Jan 4th 2008 1:30AM
so does this mean the free game is for everyone not just gold subscribers because that press release just says xbox live members it doesnt say anything about gold members only
Slaziman (B-B-BRUSHED WITH FAAAAME) @ Jan 4th 2008 6:11AM
Most likely, since it affected Silver members too (browsing marketplace etc.). They aren't doing it to pay people back their lost days of paid service, but to apologize to the whole Xbox 360 community
samfish @ Jan 4th 2008 1:31AM
That is potentially cool.
phuink @ Jan 4th 2008 1:36AM
Geometry Wars.
I called it.
phuink @ Jan 4th 2008 1:36AM
Wait, nvm... its something that I already paid for.
Purple Haze @ Jan 4th 2008 1:36AM
My friend made his live account today, will he still get a free game?
tmacairjordan87 @ Jan 4th 2008 10:03AM
shut the fuck up troll. Live has trouble for a week for the first time in years and you bitch like someone just stole your boyfriend. Then when they offer you free stuff you bitch more. Go to ps3, and trust me when i say this cause i have one, enjoy doing nothing cause there's not much to do on ps3 (their good games all can be beaten in a day)
deaftly @ Jan 4th 2008 10:10AM
@Jack in the Troll
http://youtube.com/watch?v=QuR1iPUOmhI
SharpBlade @ Jan 4th 2008 3:18PM
tmacair: Completely agree. I also own a PS3 and it makes a nice dust collector.
I went thru 3 of them just to find one that would actually read discs. Be warned that the Blu-ray players quality in the PS3 is garbage.
deaftly: nice ownage there. I was going to post a similar video but you beat me too it.
Huey2k2 @ Jan 4th 2008 1:39AM
That dog is so damned cute.
Huey2k2 @ Jan 4th 2008 1:52AM
On a side note? Does this mean live is actually working properly now? I haven't checked in a few days, because I got too angry every time I tried to play some COD4.
Vegeta (aka Ska Oreo) @ Jan 4th 2008 2:08AM
It's working for me.
Huey2k2 @ Jan 4th 2008 2:10AM
This is fantastic news, I shall have to get on tomorrow night after work and try and get some COD4 in.
tmacairjordan87 @ Jan 4th 2008 10:05AM
it's been working for me the last few days too, although every now and then it will act up when i try to download a movie or an arcade game. Overall much better than last week though.
Obie @ Jan 4th 2008 1:49AM
Good, and it better not be a crappy game.
Obie @ Jan 4th 2008 1:49AM
Good, and it better not be a crappy game.
Obie @ Jan 4th 2008 1:51AM
Sorry, I did not mean to double post :(
No idea how that happened.
Sam406 @ Jan 4th 2008 1:58AM
Triple post FTMFW!
Billy @ Jan 4th 2008 2:00AM
I really hope they let us choose the game, and not force feed us some game that everyone already has or that sucks major ass.
A better option I think would be free 400 MS points for all gold members, which is $5 equivalent (~1 month of service). That way we could choose how to use it. Oh well.