Xbox Live has had a rough holiday [update]
by Dustin Burg 
{ Dec 30th 2007 at 10:30AM }
Update: Lies, all lies! As of Sunday evening Xbox Live is again dead. Come on Xbox Live engineers, get it together already!If you've been gaming online for the past week you've probably experienced some craptacular Xbox Live service. Problems that run the gamut of absolutely no Xbox Live connection to spotty matchmaking and messaging. And Microsoft is the first to say that they apologize for the problems.
Major Nelson posted a little update confirming that Xbox Live has been having issues this past week, that their engineers have been working on a fix and says that "problems like this are not acceptable". We're nearly certain that an influx of new gamers going online post holiday put a lot of strain on Xbox Live, but one would think that Microsoft would have been ready. Though, it's good to hear that they're owning up to their mishap and were quick to get their tech team working on the problem. And you'll be happy to hear that, as of this posting, Xbox Live is up and running like normal. So, happy online gaming everybody.
[Thanks, to everyone who sent this in]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Flash2000 @ Dec 30th 2007 10:37AM
Yeah, I discovered that doing maintenance on my 360 helped every once in a while to get me back into multiplayer.
If you don't know what that is, you go to system blade, then go into the options of your hard drive and click on xx lb rb xx and it will ask if you want to do maintenance. You might have to re-download some game patches. But this helped me get back into CoD4.
brad @ Dec 30th 2007 4:29PM
DIGG THIS!
http://www.digg.com/xbox/Microsoft_Needs_to_compensate_live_users_for_massive_outages
"MS be loyal to your users and give us back our game time that was lost. Were not asking for a free year but a week of service would be great and a month would show your true loyalty to your fan base."
Gozzy @ Dec 30th 2007 10:39AM
It's not just games. I had major problems downloading my 300 rental in HD last night. Given the problems I had I won't be renting again. Not an auspicious start to Microsoft's shiny new (in the UK at least), movie download service.
Hooligunn @ Jan 3rd 2008 1:19PM
Why are you going to stop downloading HD movies off MP because of problems with Xbox Live? It was part of the Christmas problems as I've downloaded fine three times off the UK Vid Marketplace with no problems. 300 has been a problem because of the demand combined with the service problems.
You shouldn't judge the service badly when Xbox Live as a whole was causing the problems. You'll miss out on a great addition to Xbox Live tbh!
Matthew @ Dec 30th 2007 11:11AM
I was away for the past few days but before I left I was getting disconnected from halo 3 every 3 or 4 games. last night when i got home i wanted to get back on but i couldnt even connect to xbox live. i thought it was my cable modem then i thought it was my router and when i finally got it working i had a big head ache so i just went to sleep.
itsburnsie @ Dec 30th 2007 11:44AM
If they're going to continue charging $5 a month just to let US host multiplayer games... this kind of garbage has to stop.
Xbox Live has been spotty on and off for a couple of months now... and it's starting to get really annoying.
joedirt131 @ Dec 31st 2007 1:24AM
I agree with that. The only way we'll get them to stop, though, is if people stop buying Gold subscriptions until we get an improvement. As long as people keep buying, they can complain as much as they want, and Microsoft won't care. They have your money, and that's all that matters.
CDN Crockett @ Dec 30th 2007 12:02PM
I was sooo disappointed, I have friends and family over Christmas and it was an embarrassment! Now that we (Canada&UK) have Video Marketplace I wanted to show them and I couldn't even load the dashboard!!! I think it turned them off on purchasing a 360.
RudyHuxtable @ Dec 30th 2007 12:32PM
Apologize until you're blue in the face... FIX the problem and prevent its return and then I'll forgive you.
Keyser @ Dec 30th 2007 4:28PM
Been a sucky past week. Gears of War is almost impossible to play a game on, the only ones someone can join are on European hosts
Grant @ Dec 30th 2007 4:34PM
isn't that how gears of war usually plays?
zing!
Dixonij @ Dec 30th 2007 12:49PM
Where's my compensation for XBL time lost Microsoft?
guinea @ Dec 30th 2007 8:17PM
LOL....for what? $0.14? If you cry over $0.14....you truly are sad.
Rk @ Dec 30th 2007 1:02PM
Still can't recover my GamerTag! Up and Running my arse!
rvchamne @ Dec 31st 2007 8:10AM
i signed my live account into a friends machine and it loaded halfway and crapped out, now i cant even recver it on my home machine.
mattclarkie @ Dec 30th 2007 1:08PM
Yesterday Halo 3 was very bad, and today it has been a bit iffy. Generally I haven't had any problems with Live, but lately it has been weak. Considering that we actually pay for the serivce, you think it would be more robust, you never hear of the PSN falling over.
I do have to admit that there have been a lot of new people on Halo3 and Live in general. I was playing some co-op to get achievements with someone that just got the game, but Live started to play up and we abandoned the game. Not good.
XFactoR8 @ Dec 30th 2007 1:33PM
"problems like this are not acceptable"....NO SHIT, especially since were paying for this service...we should get 200 marketplace points for this inconvenience.
Bran @ Dec 30th 2007 1:39PM
Doesn't LIVE cost over $7/month now? Pretty sure when you pay through the dashboard it's over 7.
refinedsugar @ Dec 30th 2007 1:39PM
Okay so it sucks and I understand people's need to vent, but you haven't been on Live very long if this is your first bump with the service.
This 'Omg, omg! Xbox Live isn't working right and I pay $50+ a year and hence I expect flawless, no problems whatsoever service' routine is tired. Stop trolling for xbox live to be free and while you're at it, give me a break and save the borderline theatrics for another time. The sky isn't falling chicken little, deal with it.
Big Ed @ Dec 30th 2007 3:02PM
True, but the point I have about these issues is that Xbox owners pay for online gaming where others get it for free. I'm not saying Xbox Live should always be prefect and problem free, but it would be nice to receive some compensation for the time I payed for. I would expect to receive good, solid performance, and quick technical support for something you pay extra for, whereas with Sony, Nintendo, or PC, online gaming is free.
-end rant-
Grant @ Dec 30th 2007 4:24PM
when you pay for a service, and there is downtime where you can't use what you paid for, people expect compensation.
This has happened with cell phone services a few times, and each time the companies have coughed up some compensation.
Thats the joys of contractual services, if you don't get what you pay for, you get to take legal action.
No ones looking to get something for nothing, we just want what we pay for. We pay to get the best online gaming experience possible, and so far XBL delivers it, but this sort of network crap out, when most people just want to relax and play on their one long holiday break a year is inexcusable. it just means that instead of expanding their ability to handle more users and increasing network capability, they are using our $60 a year on something else.
They should have known what was going to happen after the network went to shit during the last update, it was just a warning they did not act on.
darkninja1206 @ Dec 30th 2007 1:44PM
5 Dollars a month? Are you kidding its 8 dollars a month, which works out to being 96 dollars a year, whereas if you plop 50 dollars you get a whole year, WTF MICROSOFT? We had all better get some sort of free month, free microsoft points, free rental, something for this ridiculousness. The entire past week I've been practically unable to play on Live, now on the 2nd I have to go back to work, less time to play on Live.
Kizzle @ Dec 30th 2007 1:52PM
LOL at the Microsoft apologists (see - #12) who are "annoyed" by people who want compensation for downtime. Grow a spine, you jellyfish. Just because you have no problem with shoddy service and don't care if you get what you pay for doesn't mean others have to follow your pathetically weak example. You're the kind of person that stores like Best Buy love - they'll tell you you are wrong, and you'll slink out of the store with your tail between your legs.
I like how MS apologizes and says it is unacceptable, but didn't say anything about crediting people for the 5 days it has been screwed up. Bunch of pricks.
refinedsugar @ Dec 30th 2007 6:27PM
I knew I'd see some backlash for trying to instill some counterbalance, but at least I was being mature about it. Kizzle, Nick, or whatever you're name is - you're just an ass. A quick scan of your post history shows you like to get off on bitching and complaining wherever possible and I'm here to feed your trolling ass.
You don't know me anymore than I know you so don't say I support shoddy service when I don't. Have you - and every other whiner - ever stopped to consider this is a busy time of the year? Does Christmas ring a bell? Ever think maybe a lot of people got 360's and Live for Christmas - the service got bottlenecked and went sideways with the majority of the MS Live team still off on seasonal holidays? No, you just like the act of complaining.
I've experienced downtimes throughout my years with Live and I've come to accept it happens. No system is perfect and to lose five days around the CHRISTMAS season - wow what a huge shocker. Everyone is so quick to jump on the fucking complain train that no one listens to reason anymore. We feel we're entitled to what we want, when we want it, at the highest level and cheapest price possible. My system just RROD'ed before Christmas - did MS have to extend the warranty to three years? No, but they did. Did they have to pay for the shipping both ways? No, but they did. Did they have to throw in a free month of Live to make up for the problem? No, but they did.
If MS does remedy the situation and make things right, I hope it's because it was just good business to do so and not because a bunch of internet whiners made such a huge fuss about it that they had to for PR-sake. For all the complaining you do - why don't you just throw in the towel - sell off your 360, get off Live and just be done with it. There's obviously no satisfying you.
Jer @ Dec 30th 2007 1:55PM
I've been on Live for about 3 years now and, while I've experienced some problems in the past, they've never run as long as this.
Aside from the "holiday issue," a friend and I started having problems after this year's Fall dashboard update. We were getting kicked immediately after accepting chat/game invites and it ended up turning into an annoying game of "invite tag." Anyone have similar experiences?
Overall, I love the Xbox Live experience and don't mind paying for it. But this type of thing can get pretty frustrating.
Fezmid @ Dec 30th 2007 1:57PM
Where are you guys getting $8/month for XBL?! I paid $45 for 13 months, or less than $3.50/month.
If you're paying $8/month, you need to go online and buy a one year card or wait for a deal like I got.
Seth Rubenstein @ Dec 30th 2007 1:59PM
Where did you get 13 months for 45 bucks? If you pay per month via the Dashboard it works out to something around 7.99 before taxes.
Anticrawl @ Dec 30th 2007 6:50PM
Maybe they have forgotten how many months are in a year? I play 39.99 for 13 months which almost exactly 3 dollars a month. Perhaps the problem here we should be worried about is moronic consumers and not Xbox Live with down time.
Anticrawl @ Dec 30th 2007 6:52PM
This isn't where I get my $39.99 13 month cards but it is one of many many places. Newegg also offers free shipping on them a few days out of the month.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16874103030
Debikul @ Dec 30th 2007 1:58PM
If the problems with XBL are making people this upset then it would be very wise to stay away from the PSN. Compared to that, XBL is dreamy.
pwnetheus @ Dec 30th 2007 7:28PM
How so? I just finished playing a few matches on COD4 on my ps3.. Unfortunately I can't get on Live to play Halo 3 or even play my arcade games that require me to connect to Live to validate or whatever nonsense Microsoft has set up.
Seth Rubenstein @ Dec 30th 2007 1:57PM
Yea by the way #12 I've been on live for an entire year as of this December. I've never had downtime on Live. Even before 2006 when I owned an Xbox I never had downtime on Live that lasted 5 days. So please just go play on a PS3 seeing how you like a shitty online experience. I on the other hand like to pay for my online experience so it'll be a good one.
Grant @ Dec 30th 2007 4:32PM
in response to your question above, just go get a prepaid card from an EB or GS, or even walmart and BB have them, the cards are 12+1 XBL for like $50, or sometimes you can find them even cheaper on sale. when XBL release a new version of them, target stupidly discounts the old ones to like $35, so it pays to keep your eyes open, cause all prepaid XBL cards work, even if they are from when XBL just launched on the original xbox.
refinedsugar @ Dec 30th 2007 6:30PM
Seth do your homework next time and stop trolling the wrong streets. I don't even own a PS3 and you're coming off like one of those rabid, devoted xbox fanboys that I do my best to distance myself from.
Five days of intermediate downtime at Christmas. Wow one of the busier times of the year and the shit doesn't go according to plan. Go figure.
darkninja1206 @ Dec 30th 2007 7:16PM
Thats interesting, I never said anything about you own a PS3 I said go play on one, so why dont you do us all a favor, shut the hell up and read the comments before you decide going on a "trolling" comment reply frenzy there, yes we can all see that you posted three comments defending your tarnished honour in rapid succession. And once again, point still remains the same, I paid out some 80 bucks this year on XBL, and its quite unacceptable that I can not use said service that I payed a large sum for. Do I feel entitled to service, you bet your ass I do, why? Well perhaps for the more mature and competent in the reading populous of Xbox360FANBOY, I PAID FOR IT!
RogueStorm @ Dec 30th 2007 2:04PM
I'm still having problems. I can't sign in right now, though it's telling me my friend is online. Wonder what's going on behind the scenes?
Jeff Wilson @ Dec 30th 2007 2:06PM
CoD 4 is still broken. Microsoft choose a real bad time to let this happen. Everyone is on vacation or break.
john paul @ Dec 30th 2007 2:08PM
My cousin was over yesterday and we waited around 15 minutes to get all the players for matchmaking, once we got em, it restarted and we waited another 15 minutes
so overall it took around 45 minutes to play one game of halo lol
so embarrassed considering hes a huge sony guy
after he left i played some bioshock and mass effect
both worked great, but mass effect had some bugs...don't think its a Live problem though....
Fezmid @ Dec 30th 2007 2:09PM
Seth -- I found this deal:
http://slickdeals.net/?permadeal=10490#direct_deal_10490
They offer it from time to time. I got the Halo3 card and it cost me $45, so this deal is even better (although now expired). Just look around.
Even if you don't get that great deal, you can go to Amazon.com, search for "xbox live" and buy a 12 month card for $44 right now. That's still less than $4/month.
Anyone buying from the console and paying $8/month is just crazy.
MaxxGold @ Dec 30th 2007 2:10PM
Boo Hoo
Ranus Studios @ Dec 30th 2007 2:16PM
I hadn't noticed any problems, but that's because I can enjoy video games without being online, save for a demo or update every other month or so.
I look forward to whatever will be shouted at me for this.
MB @ Dec 30th 2007 2:18PM
This is very lame I've been able to connect like twice now in several days. Same with my friend in Philly who is getting all sorts of errors. I'm definitely asking for compensation from MS as in a free months of XB Live. Microsoft is well aware of how fast consoles are selling and if they didn't calculate how much extra capacity they needed then fire the engineers who didn't get it right.
What pisses me off most is I've seen articles on the net saying "Looks like thing are back under control at Xbox Live" when clearly that is total BS.
MB @ Dec 30th 2007 2:19PM
"I look forward to whatever will be shouted at me for this."
Why would anyone shout at you? I'm the same way and don't do much online gaming, but still I've wanted to play all of this week and no go.
Boff @ Dec 30th 2007 2:23PM
It's been slowwwwww as fuck for the past few days, spent more time looking at the party screen than actually playing COD4.
It still wasn't right when I was on this afternoon.
SadisticHam @ Dec 30th 2007 2:23PM
@ refinedsugar
You're telling people to quit whining over a service they pay for not performing up to standards? Lol?
Are you the type to let the waiter spit in your soup or what?
We pay, we deserve higher standards. At the very least we deserve compensation for down time. If my digital service goes down at all, i can phone them up and get money off the bill.
A "sorry" isn't good enough, we pay and we deserve more than that.
refinedsugar @ Dec 30th 2007 6:33PM
Gesh ... stop all the trolling. Yes, I agree it'd be nice to see MS remedy the problem, but insulting me and MS isn't the way to do it.
massive_98 @ Dec 30th 2007 2:24PM
As a Gamecube owner I can't help but laugh at you. I'm sorry but its just hilarious that you are paying for a service, paying for a adapter(unless your wired), getting tricked into buying more because points are misleading and not being able to play online* over the holidays.
Meanwhile I'm playing Mario Kart with REAL friends.
My apologies, I didn't get a Wii for christmas so I'm taking my frustration on geeks.
Big Ed @ Dec 30th 2007 3:55PM
Whatever you say troll...err, I mean massive_98. I have "real friends" as well, and we all like to get together offline and on live to play games. But, I'm sure you know everything. Continue to pity Xbox Live subscribers because we all know that we don't have "real" friends like you do.
aaron @ Dec 30th 2007 2:29PM
Yeah well did he talk about the problems with the rcovering of Gamertags through Xbox Live. Beacause there is still a problem with that. I have been without my xbox live account for 3 days now. i am really getting aggrevated.
JJ @ Dec 30th 2007 2:37PM
This especially sucks for those that ahve to log on to get their gamertags.
Granted iknow xbox live is more robust than PSN, but at the rate this is going... i have to wonder WHAT exactly we're paying for, ads, "holiday" downtime, P2P gaming...
It seems all that we're paying for is the right to access overpriced marketplace videos and a Friends list.
Now dont get me wrong I've loved live ever since the 360 launched (since it was vastly improved since the original xbox which i found... decent, not great but decent). But i would also like Ninty to get its act together and PSN to become more robust as well so there can at LEAST be a competition dynamic so we as consumers are offered more for less (or even better, free).