My Horrifying Xbox 360 Experience

[Dan]

My Xbox 360 just died on me today.

But before I get into detail, let me give you a bit of background. Rewind to the Holiday Season of '05, when Microsoft first launched the Xbox 360. I managed to finally find one of the systems just two days before New Year's Eve. Needless to say, I was loving it. After about a week, however, I began experiencing constant freezing on the more physically demanding parts of a game. Eventually, it became too much for me to bear, and I informed Xbox Customer Support, to which they responded efficiently and in a exemplary manner. The process was smooth, and although I was annoyed, I found that given the situation, Customer Support handled it as best they could. So I got my new Xbox 360 and suffered no freezing or any other related issues. I was pleased. The absence of fearing freezing resulted in a pleasant gaming experience that I came to enjoy throughout my life as I built up my game library and continued my support for Microsoft.

Fast forward. It's March 1st 2007, one year since I got my new Xbox 360. I'm playing Fifa 07. Just taking a break from periodic Crackdown and Lost Planet. There I was, simply browsing the game menu, when suddenly, I hear a loud beep. The screen starts displaying a messed up pattern of contorted squares on the screen. Annoyed and slightly worried, I turned off the Xbox 360. Has my perfect streak with my new Xbox 360 gone awry? Yes. Yes it has. Turning back on the 360, I was greeted with 3 flashing red lights. Like being kicked in the balls by Wayne Rooney, or better yet, Bill Gates.

I tried it all. Turn it off, unplug this, unplug that, remove this, check that. Nothing was helping. Sure, on some occasions I manage to get the system on, but it only takes a minute to contort and freeze again. I was worried, but I still remembered the number. 1-800-4MY-XBOX. I had to deal with some stupid voice recognition phone service named Max, who asked me to "say" every response. The only way I managed to get through his bullshit was by saying "Agent" in a disgustingly enthusiastic tone, just barely holding back my angry, annoyed, and apparently unrecognizable tone. Finally, I got to speak to a human being, to which I explained every detail of my day leading to the problem. She was very friendly. She was also very friendly in telling me that "Unfortunately," my system's warranty had expired, and that I would need to send it in to them at my expense of nearly $200 Canadian dollars to get it repaired. I was shocked. Blown away, even. I told her how I felt and how that was a ridiculous sum of money to ask, since it nearly adds up to two thirds of the system's original price, and I had already gone through this process before and was assured that it shouldn't happen again. It did. A year after. A year and a month after to be exact. How convenient that not even the newly expanded 1 year warranty could cover me. She was of no help. She paused and replied with "So I'll need you to get a credit card ready," clearly not expected to relieve any customer grief.

There was no other way. There is no other way.

My only choice, and she made this clear enough, was to pay the money and get it fixed. That's it.

So, what, they suggest I pay to relieve my problem, and when it happens in a year (Which it "absolutely shouldn't") I will have to pay again?! I don't recall being set up for a yearly subscription to Xbox 360, the console. So now what do I do. I'm sitting here writing this out in absolute hate and frustration, looking at my impotent 360 with it's three flashing lights of... impotence.

I spent the last half hour going over options, but there are none. I can't return it to the store. I can't trade it in. I can't do anything but pay the stupid money which I CAN NOT afford right now and absolutely SHOULD NOT be accountable for. Why the hell should I be accountable for paying for repairs on a system that committed technological suicide, without any help from me. I didn't supply the rope, Microsoft. I didn't supply the rope!

So now that I'm fully vented, anyone have any suggestions? Advice? General suicide tips? (J/K)

The customer support girl knew I had no choice. When I said I wasn't going to pay, she systematically gave me some kind of reference number for when I come to the sad realization that I have to pay two thirds the price of the console to get back to gaming. That was paraphrased, but I'm sure you get the point by now.

I'm so angry... I'm so angry I could... I could... digg this shit.

There.

[Scrib]

My 360 has already ruined my Gears disc. So many scratches..

And yeah, that's bullshit.

[Dan]

So bullshit.. Have to figure out something now.

[Spades]

.... Wow. That sounds absolutely horrible... I wish I had advice, but I don't.


I'm still willing to have your baby...

... but unless I birth a bouncing, baby XBOX 360...

... I doubt that helps anything.

[Hale]

All I can say is my Wii has never broken down. That, and I've always hated Microsoft anyways.

Is there anywhere you can file a complaint? Or maybe you should run a smear campaign to let everyone know what they did.

[Dan]

Going through the options, I think the only thing to do is to suck it up and pay the money. I am SO super pissed about this. Microsoft has really pushed me to the edge here. I'm going to ask to speak to the supervisor when I call them tomorrow to "voice my concern." I'm going to tell that person that I'm a very important internet personality and that I've run a smear campaign on the internet and written several important articles on high end sites voicing my disappointment with the warranty and resulting repair fees.

Hopefully something good will come out of that.

[M_B]

Originally posted by Scribner@Mar 1 2007, 01:47 PM
My 360 has already ruined my Gears disc. So many scratches..

And yeah, that's bullshit.

Didn't you literally just get your 360?

[Scrib]

Yes.

I replaced the 360 and Gears, and now this 360 has gotten red lights twice already.

But I messed around and got it to work, luckily.

[Dan]

Welp, I got back on the phone with Microsoft and argued well enough to earn a "please hold" followed by a "okay, we're prepared to offer you 25% off and free shipping."

I accepted because I'm tired of this bullshit and I just want my 360 back because I'm dieeeeeeeeeeeing to fucking play it. I love 360. I just hate how they handle customers and how they release a product that's destined to die out in a few months to a year.

[Scrib]

Your dying to fucking play with me, eh?