Microsoft Investigating Xbox Owners for Fraudulently Refunding Destiny

After Bungie announced Destiny‘s upcoming The Dark Below DLC, many gamers became fed up with different points of the game - some Xbox gamers, however, don’t like the PlayStation-exclusive content. Some asked for refunds using bogus reasoning, which Microsoft initially fulfilled. Now, upon discovering that many lied about their refund’s true reason, Microsoft is investigating all users who wanted a refund on the basis that they committed fraud.

[Volkama]

Drama. I doubt anything will come of it.

[donthate]

Yup, I think MS is just showing some muscle to prevent people from asking for refunds with illegitimate reason due to MS good will.

That said, let this be a warning to those considering Destiny that I and many others see it is a crap game, but you should rent it first to see if you like it!

[famoussasjohn]

They are banning people for fraudulently asking for refunds as a tutorial on getting a refund for DLC was posted online when chatting with representatives so you get a refund.

For the disagree - http://www.reddit.com/r/xbo...

This is for people who are trying to fraud the system and get a refund for something they bought and paid for and have already played.

[sonarus]

I don't think Destiny is a crap game i just feel it waaaay under delivered on its initial promise. I felt the same way about the first assassins creed and that game went on to spawn a ridiculous amount of sequels

[uptownsoul]

I agree, if you buy a game that you later think is garbage…Deal With It!!! That's how it always has worked since home console gaming started in the late '70's!!!

[1nsomniac]

If Bungie are allowed to lie to paying customers why can't custormers lie to return it. After all the law is in the favour of the consumer over the corporations. Apparently...

[morganfell]

How did Bungie lie?

The game is exactly what the Alpha and the Beta showed it to be. Anyone that didn't play the Beta when you could get into it without buying the game deserves to be slapped for failing to take a free opportunity to research their future purchase.

Anyone that played the Beta, purchased the game, and now are complaining lacks the intellect to properly evaluate a game during the more than sufficient time allotted by the Beta. Either way, complainers need to go in the batroom, look at the immature person in the mirror, point at them and start laying blame.

[BitbyDeath]

Punishment does not fit the crime.
You should never lose content you actually paid for, that sounds more fraudulent than conning out a refund for a game.

Obviously MS are accepting the excuse for it so they are also accountable in this.

[BDSE]

Well if YOU think its a crap game I'll definitely take that on board..../sarcasm

[Kingthrash360]

Not that I disagree...because ive played the alpha and beta and ended up not buying the game. But I do remember bungie showing a whole landscape and stating you will be able to explore all of this...that, my friend was a lie.
I'm not saying its OK to do fraud because of this... its not OK at all. But bungie did indeed lie.

[UltimateMaster]

If the claims are fraudulent, isn't it Microsoft job to make sure that it is a fraudulent claim before giving the refund in the first place?

The way they said it is that if they think you made a fraudulent claim then they threaten you by banning you from Xbox Live?

Well, it's a good thing I don't have to deal with that company.

[Enigma_2099]

@uptownsoul

You deserve to keep every crap game you ever buy. As far as refunds for games, if a customer thinks a product is worth it, they don't ask for refunds. The fault here isn't with the consumer...

[user5575708]

they should refund half of the $20 because the DLC is really just worth about $10. I would be pissed too if i paid $20

[BootyBandit]

For a crap game it sure takes up all of my free time. I play Destiny every single day since the day I bought it and don't see myself not playing it any time soon. It's the most I've played a game in years. I think it's fantastic and seriously can't get enough of it. My friends list has nearly tripled since Destiny released and not 1 person has dropped off from playing it regularly.

[retro_]

In no way is Destiny a crap game. It's the one game I return to again and again and really enjoy.

[remixx116]

@morganfell

actually your wrong, I played the beta amd thought the game was sufficient and enjoyable. Yet I am one of these "complainers" you speak of as I am not happy with the final product.

The beta did not at all foreshadow the incredibly shallow game it was destined to be (pun intended). The beta did not foreshadow dlc on the disc, it did not foreshadow a 6 hour story mode or the somewhat overpriced and clearly lacking dlc.

So no you deserved to be slapped for telling people that they do not have the right to complain about a product that I cleary lack luster and is has a large amount of content ON THE DISK that is inaccessible and is being sold to you later for an unfair price.

im sad to see that your one of the sheep that embrace the idea of being being screwed over.

[remixx116]

@morganfell

actually your wrong, I played the beta amd tjought the game was sufficient and enjoyable. Yet I am one of these "complainers" you speak of as I am not happy with the final product.

The beta did not at all foreshadow the incredibly shallow game it was destined to be (pun intended). The beta did not foreshadow dlc on the disc, it did not foreshadow a 6 hour story mode or the somewhat overpriced and clearly lacking dlc.

So no you deserved to be slapped for telling people that they do not have the right to complain about a product that is cleary lack luster and is has a large amount of content ON THE DISK that is inaccessible and is being sold to you later for an unfair price.

im sad to see that your one of the sheep that embrace the idea of being being screwed over.

[redwin]

I'm not getting the DLC because I feel like I'm getting 1/2 of the product that Sony is getting, for the same price. It's not like is a exclusive skin for ps4 owners or an extra DLC just available for ps4. It's 1/2 of what Sony is getting for the same price. If it was timed and I would get it in a month or two free so Sony getd it first, I would not have mind, but no, I'll feel like I've been taken advantage of .. No thanks!

[VforVideogames]

I haven't buy any digital games on ps4 but can I return it if I just didn't like it? I know I can do this on my XB0.

[Hereiamhereibe2]

No you cant. Can't on Xbox either...

[IrishSt0ner]

In the UK all online sales (digital and physical) can be returned within 30 days, by law, doesn't matter which company it is there's no loophole. If they refuse you can report them to be prosecuted.

I buy all my stuff from the US store, cheaply, so not sure I'd get away with refunds.

[Christopher]

If you've played the game for the last month, you don't get a refund. If you've owned it a few days and played only a little, give it to them if it's a good reason.

Seems pretty easy to settle.

As far as Kotaku and their sudden interest in "Anti exclusive content for multiplatform games," strange to see them pick up on this now instead of last generation. Wonder what their thoughts are on outright buying timed exclusivity of a whole game?

[Findingcrybabies]

they chose to buy an XB1. Why they getting pissy now?

[joab777]

Can xbox players please stop crying. Damn! Do u even remember what u got last gen. Last gen? How about Sunset Overdrive?

Gimme a break.

[jhoward585]

I don't know anything about MS return policy on x1 games.
My question is, can't MS do a quick investigation before refunding a game?

[Volkama]

What kind of investigation? Someone says they want a refund, if they have a valid reason then MS give them a refund. There isn't really any way to prove that the given reason is false.

Here someone gave an invalid reason, and then tried the "look, all of my friends are doing it!" answer that is also not a valid reason. MS gave a stock answer that they'd investigate, but they won't. They can't tie Kotaku user accounts to XBox user accounts.

[jhoward585]

If MS can ban x1 owners after they conduct an investigation than I don't see why they can't do the investigation before refunding gamers their money.

Besides, it could be a system technical issue for all we know. computer system in general aren't always reliable/consistence. Sometime they perform well and sometime they don't.In other words, they aren't 100% as far as reliability.

With that being said, MS could be banning x1 owners for no reason.

[TotallyNotGlenn]

jhoward585, when a customer asks for a refund, that usually happens quickly. An investigation takes time--too much time for a good customer service system to handle. Most companies give the refund and if they see anything weird, try to tweak the system against problems for the future.

[GregMicek]

Exactly, this is nothing in the end. Microsoft isn't going to pay someone to do any actual investigating. Just some MS customer service rep being a jerk and trying to scare people.

[donthate]

jhoward585:

This is MS good will towards their customers, because there is no policy towards providing a refund after a digital purchase has occurred.

The only investigation here is that a customer "claimed" after the return that they lied to get a refund. So you can't investigate something that has NOT happened yet.

That is fraud, and can be very serious.

However, how MS would enforce this is difficult and I doubt anything would come out of it other than deterring others asking for a refund.

The one that should burn on the stake is Bungie for treating their fans with a sh!t game, and have the gall to charge customers the same amount for less content on an equivalent platform!

[MSBAUSTX]

@ donthate

I can see why Bungie thought they could do that to people. Ubisoft has been doing it like crazy to Wii U owners almost since launch and will keep the trend when they release Watchdogs for Wii U with No DLC at all. So why shouldnt Bungie think they couldnt release a product for the same price but with less features? -sarcasm

This is just another case of a company thinking that they can do whatever they want and we will take it because we have no choice. These people did commit fraud though. If you buy a platform and a game you dont get a refund unless something technical happens to it, not because you chose the wrong game and dont like it now.