I Signed Up For Xbox Live Ten Years Ago And All I Got Was A Lousy Avatar Helmet

FleshEatingZipper writes: We hardcore gamers sure are an insatiable bunch. We sink hundreds or thousands of dollars into our habit, show up in lines dozens of hours before our favorite products even launch, and we ask for a little bit more than an avatar helmet when Xbox Live turns ten years old. Is it too much to ask?

[MultiConsoleGamer]

I signed up 7 years ago and all I got was three defective Xbox 360 consoles.

But hey, at least they gave you something.

[Leroy]

Did you try the 3 year warranty?

[Anon1974]

Wasn't an option when I bought my 360. It was a 90 day warranty at first, then $170 cdn repair bill, then the warranty was extended to 1 year and after that I ended up with another rrod and another $170 cdn repair bill. At this point I opted for another $75 for a 2 year warranty given we started to figure out that something was up and I didn't want another $170 repair bill. When the warranty was extended to 3 years, it only covered rrod and not other defects as I found out when my 3rd console came back and promptly started gouging my games, and MS refused to take it back even though they just shipped it. The extended warranty came in handy then.

MS was supposed to refund repair fees back when the warranty was extended but after god knows how many hours I spent on the phone I finally had a supervisor tell me they didn't track repairs previously, had no record of my repairs and so couldn't confirm if I gave them money or not. I finally ended up having to fax them copies of my Visa statement to prove that yes, they had taken my money and 3 years after incurring the costs, they eventually cut me a check and gave me a free month of XBL.

But hey, an avatar helmet is nice too. :)

[Leroy]

Raw deal. I had an error 74, they gave me a new console 3 days later. Came to my door too, didn't have to ship out anything.

[kreate]

When did MS offered that?

Edit: stealth edit from leroy

[darthv72]

and all i got was 10 years of live. Make that 11 as i just re-upped my sub.

[konnerbllb]

@dark

They pulled a similar stunt with me. I had bought the extended warranty through MS and they said I never bought it and wanted me to pay full price for the repair. I almost did too until I was looking through my bank statements and found it on there. I had to fax it in as well. D%&$'s

[Gazondaily]

Lol why has Leroy got so many disagrees?

Ah forget you immature fanboys and this s#1@. I'm in Valencia. Need to be enjoying the craziness.

By the way, sorry for the off topic but can anyone recommend some crazy clubs on here. Went to superclub which, well, wasn't so super. PM me. No one speaks English here!

[gaffyh]

@Leroy - E74 has the same root cause, which is why the replaced your console. Disc scratching wouldn't be supported the same way.

[vlonjati77]

@ multiConsoleGamer
LOL I signed in jut to give u a like.nothing against xbox.I own only ps3 & Vita.I go through any article ps3 xbox wii etc just to pass some time having fun reading comments while I have pop corn.have a nice day.
Forgot to say something-plz dont disagree with me cause I wont sleep all night /s

[BlmThug]

I've owned my Xbox 360 for nearly four years now and never had a problem with it in terms of hardware issues. Guess i'm one of the few lucky ones (!)

[darthv72]

in fact the whole notion of the rrod situation was blown way out of proportion by the internet.

I mean can we all agree that not all of us had the problem just like not everyone who bout a ps2 had that problem or those who bought a ps3 had the ylod.

For those that did, yeah it sucks but we should not over exaggerate things. Yes the problem existed. it has since been fixed. Just like there was a problem with the ps2 and had since been fixed. YLOD on the ps3 has since been fixed.

Stop dwelling on the negative and look at the positive like the amount of games that have been released over the course of that 10 years. Some good, some bad but overall there have been a bunch of games that appeal to different people.

Oh and to point out, yeah i have had my issue with the 360 but I dont dwell on it or let it stop me from playing games. Any gamer can tell you that if its worth playing, its worth paying. And by that it isnt monetary, it also refers to time spent. spent playing and spent waiting but ultimately no-one ever said this was a cheap hobby.

[Majin-vegeta]

Hmm helmet??

*Has an image in his head* lol.

[HammadTheBeast]

LoL Xbox users pay $30-$60 a year to access half their games, yet feel ripped off at getting a "Free" Avatar Helmet.

[ThePsychoGamer]

I joined about 4 years ago and all I got was a bunch of great gaming experiences.

[AlphaJunk]

yeah, me too - how freaking weird! hahaha
oh and I use bing all the time and get a bunch of free MS points to use on xbox live - pretty cool too me!

[stage88]

Not sure if you know but you could of had those same gaming experiences on other devices for, wait for it...

Absolutely FREE!

[wishingW3L]

....
http://www.youtube.com/watc...

[sandman224]

You got the best online service!

[Snookies12]

I personally think Steam is the best online service... That's just me though.

[darthv72]

and from the way it has evolved it certainly looks to have taken many ideas of improvement from live.

[Norrison]

@Darthv72
I think it's the other way around buddy. If it wasn't Steam would be full of ads, with paid online, expensive games and pretty much just a platform for watching tv programs and stuff.

I'm mainly a PC gamer, but I also own all the consoles. So without any bias I can say, paying 30-60 dollars for a service inferior to steam just to play exclusives is BS. And no, cross game chat isn't worth it you can get it on PS3 just by making a skype group with your friends on your phone/PC.

[darthv72]

It is more of a mutual involvement if you really look at it. I know many may not remember Steam in its infancy just like many do not remember live when it first came out.

Most would say their experience with both has been of recent times. So going back to steam, it was the part of half life 2 that you had to have in order to get updates to the game but it was nothing like it is now. Similar to how live has grown over the years.

Not sure who did the achievement thing first but I can honestly say that I never played much with steam except my time with counter strike and half life 2. I turned my attention more to consoles so you can see how my interpretation might be a bit off.

If anything it has been a mutual improvement of the services. Ideas from one to the other and so forth. Steam is now this community with an achievement system that didnt exist in my early days. Just like how the 360 and live was an achievement and community type of system and yet on the original xbox it was strictly the online and live arcade.

So no disrespect but both services have aged pretty well and look like they will continue to improve.

[SITH]

Darth is right, steam took a lot from Xbox live even achievements. Steam's official release was 2003, Xbox live released November 2002. Steam didnt even have matchmaking options until 2008. It copied xbox live. Does that make the service inadequete, not at all. It does what i twas made to do for PC gsming. Xbox live does what it needs to for console and home entertainment. Copying is a sign if flattery in electronics, or patent infringement. ;) Enough said.

[ger2396]

A helmet huh? What else do you want? You already paid to have the privilege to play your games online.

[iNFAMOUZ1]

man screw this site, its all sony fanboys, ima be on here less.

[Snookies12]

There are just as many Xbox fans on here... I really don't get why people ally themselves with a certain company/console though honestly. Sure I may prefer PS3 over other consoles, but I can still enjoy Xbox and Wii just as well.

People just need to grow up and simply enjoy being a gamer rather than fighting amongst themselves over something as pointless as allegiance to a company that you have no connection to other than buying something of theirs.

[Lovable]

I agree with Snookies12...people could be so childish sometimes.

[BitbyDeath]

Well said Snookies

[iamgoatman]

"There are just as many Xbox fans on here"

Good one! /s

But seriously, all these ridiculous fanboys and trolls have turned this site into little more than a joke.

[miyamoto]

well said snookies

@iamgoatman

"But seriously, all these ridiculous fanboys and trolls have turned this site into little more than a joke."

well said too

[glennco]

Firstly there is no point telling kids to grow up, let 'em be kids.

Secondly, yes there is way more PS3 fanboys than xbox, it comes with the branding of Sony. Sony has always been about image, just like apple. there is nothing wrong with that from a company POV, in fact, it is good marketing. a side effect for gamers is their image and rep are threatened so they defend it. this is why the term Sony Defence Force exists on this site. if your console of choice is no way image related, you are less likely too defend like a blind fanboy. of course there are still plenty (read:too many) annoying xbox fanboys as well.

[mcstorm]

Well said snookies. The biggest problem with most people today is they live in a world where there things are better than any one else's.

I got a the new Samsung windows 8 tablet on monday and i had people telling me there ipad 3 was better and half the price. They did nor get that i got a new 11.6" windows 8 pro tablet powered by an i5 4gb of ram and 64gb of storage with usb3 hdmi out sd card slot and dock keyboard base for £979. and they still tell me there ipad is better because it has thousands of apps yet mine is a fully working pc that will do everything a pc will do yet they still need a pc to carry out there day to day jobs as the ipad wont do it.

Half the problem is lack of knowledge and the other half is the mins the best frame of mind.

Ive been gaming since the 80s and owned alot lf consoles even still have my Amiga 32 and when ive had my 15 year old cod playing bro round and ive said lets have a go on the amiga he says its a crap console because the graphics are crap.

To me games and consoles are how they make you feel when you use them and how the game makes you feel as games are supposed to be fun not something you fight over.

As for this guy posting he only got a hat for being with xbox live for 10 years come on get over it haw many companies give you something for using there services for 10 years? I cant think of any i have used that have given me anything and why should they you pay them for a service and you get that service why should you expect more? If you get more its a bonus but nota minus if you dont.

[KangarooSam]

Haha

[KangarooSam]

Or, rather this video:

(Swear I'm done now)

[Getowned]

Why you no like embed codes.

[thebudgetgamer]

Smell ya later, smell ya later forever.

[ItsTrue]

Most important line in that entire article:
"It’s the thought that counts."

[RockmanII7]

Quit your winning FleshEatingZipper, if someone gives you something decent for free and you don't complain.

[thebudgetgamer]

It's like giving a legless person a pair of shoes.

[RockmanII7]

That is the dumbest analogy I've ever heard. This guy has an avatar and has an xbox he can wear the avatar item if he wants to. A legless person has no feet to wear shoes with, they physically cannot use the shoes and furthermore it could be seen as you mocking them over a potentially very serious past experience if you sent them shoes. Outside of that, what are they going to do with shoes? This guy can wear the avatar helmet, he just chooses not to. This guy is just upset because he's not getting free stuff, where did Microsoft ever say they would give you something if you were a paid member for 10 years? Doesn't matter, because he even says in the article that he dropped his Gold membership for a few months. Should Microsoft send everyone who bought an Xbox 10 years ago an Xbox 360 for no reason? They're a business and they should just give out their product like candy? You pay for Xbox Gold to get the features Xbox Gold comes with, Microsoft owes you nothing after your membership expires and the fact that he's complaining over a free gift, which is 100% nothing like giving a legless person a pair of shoes, shows just how entitled the author is. If anything, it's like giving someone who wears sandals all day a pair of shoes and watching him go on a rant on why the shoes you gave him aren't good enough.

[glennco]

this is not an opinion piece, it is a rant. NOBODY CARES

[TFXR]

I'd say considering the commentary in here, you care quite a bit.

[SaffronCurse]

Microsoft are jerks to their subscriber base.

[SJPFTL]

LOL he is mad because he did not get a free xbox? LOLOLOL children these days.

[Chupa-Chupa]

Beg your pardon? You also received years of epic online multiplayer. Xbox Live changed your life. How about that?

[dmonee]

I signed up for playstation plus last year and all I got was thirty awesome games for free. Oh well........

[ALLWRONG]

Stop paying for it.

[Hicken]

And he'll STILL get to play online with his friends and enjoy the full features of his game and his system.

Stop paying for Live=half your gaming, gone.

Good job.

[Rumplebumpkin]

I wish fanboys would stop saying this. You're embarrassing yourselves.

[ALLWRONG]

You got ten years of superior online gaming

[Outside_ofthe_Box]

Stop paying for it...

[NoFanboyRequired]

That's true!

[braydox21]

i got ps plus and got ten free games right off the bat, i don't know about you but that does seem pretty awsome. and just getting a avater helmet is kinda sucky its as if microsoft wanted to give you cookie but they give the cookie to you in crumbs. heres one crumb, then another, and another. on the other hand PS Plus is like here have a box of cookies go nuts unless you are allergic then here have some nut free cookies.

[Getowned]

"I Signed Up For Xbox Live Ten Years Ago And All I Got Was A Lousy Avatar Helmet"

Boo hoo :(.. This is like a kid that crys at christmas because he didn't get the gifts he wanted.

[2v1]

well i didnt get anything i did save some money by staying away from it tho

[MooseWI]

I got that helmet and only had it for 7 years.

[Lord_Sloth]

I signed up for PS+ 2 months ago and all I got was free games every month!

[NoFanboyRequired]

Its getting annoying seeing this all the time. First off, the games AREN'T free. You pay for them through the subscription. Stop paying that and see how free those games are. Oh wait...

[Lord_Sloth]

Yep. I'm paying a subscription as are XBox Live Subscriptions. Difference is I get games with mine.

[Kingdom Come]

All he got was a helmet? How about 10 years of fantastic online service?

[ajax17]

I signed up for PS+ a few months ago and I got Infamous 2, Resident Evil 5 Gold, Saints Row 2, Just Cause 2 and LittleBigPlanet 2... FOR FREE!

[ajax17]

A lot of 2's lol.

[josephayal]

Cool Helmet avatar You are one lucky guy, I had xbox live for 10 years, and they gave me an xbox 360 special edition That is a beautiful xbox 360 TBH

[Drewminati]

I make 10 years tomorrow, and all i got so far was stats and a xbox helmet for my avatar,

i honestly would like something for the time&money i spent on xbox, but then again why hold my breath

: (

[PooEgg]

Well they also gave out free copies of Wreckateer, but sadly it is a Kinect game, so it is of no use to anyone who doesn't use Kinect. Part of me thinks, well it's better than them not doing anything, but it also makes me think that they really don't care about any gamer who hasn't jumped on their Kinect bandwagon. But it's free, so we shouldn't complain.

[OC_MurphysLaw]

So I must say the avatar helmet is a bit underwhelming for 10yrs of XBLG. I appreciated the offer of Wreckateer but I already own the game and... for most out there its a game they can't play. MS should have just given out a voucher for a free game of choice and given 2 or 3 options with at least 1 being non-Kinect.

I got a good laugh out of my message from MS yesterday. Saw I had a message from MS in my inbox...got a little excited in anticipation after hearing about "free consoles" for members on LIVE for 10yrs as I will turn 10 on XBL tomorrow 11/17. I scrolled down and just started to laugh at the let down.

[AngelicIceDiamond]

A Avatar prop does suck but MS should have a new model with XBL next gen. A rumor Platinum or Diamond service should offer you anything under the sun.

As of now, a avatar prop is pretty sad but great stable/ evolving service with many XBL games, upcoming F2P games, third and 1st party games to play and with so much to do with friends makes it worth it to me.

[DarrenMG]

I joined 10 years ago, Microsoft couldn't recover my GT 6 years ago and I was forced to start over, my new one is 6 years old (obviously). I've went through 3 Xbox 360 consoles and 1 original Xbox, bought countless content through the XBLA, spent thousands on games and accessories for both systems. Never cancelled my Live, never lost my loyalty to my favourite system and the company that created it for that matter.

You know what I got? A free downloadable poster. Chances are MS will save those consoles for their "Xbox MVP's" and possibly some industry people with a decent Klout score and high number of followers to Tweet out how awesome they are.

[stage88]

That's MS for you. Shafting you every chance they get. I have no idea how they have managed it throughout this gen.

[ILive]

Fanboyism aside, serious question: Why can't xbox live be free though? I think if live were to be free, there will be less "fanboy" comments. I will say this though since I have experienced both consoles online, strictly speaking about playing games online and features aside. There is absolutely no difference between live and the psn. When people begin getting technical and start saying that the design of live's UI is more contemporary is just futile. Seriously, there isn't any reason live shouldn't be free; and the features should be something optional a person pays for.

[iliimaster]

lol yeah all i got was a helmet but what i take with me is friendships great memories, countless all nighters, midnight releases speeding home to play gears, COD etc.