XBOX Live

[Groundhog]

I decided yesterday to cancel my XBOX Live membership, largely because I just haven't had the time to use it lately, and after I move in a month or so I'll probably be without broadband access for a while. So I fire up my 360, open up the control panel, find my membership details and... WTF, where's the cancel option?? A google search later, and I see that there is no cancel option... instead, I had to phone up the xbox support line, get transferred to India, and 'bargain' my way out of my membership thanks to questions like "Are you sure you want to cancel? You can give your membership to a friend? Oh ok, are you REALLY sure?". At least the Indian guy had a hybrid Indian-American accent that made it very nearly possible to understand him.

The whole process really turned me off XBOX Live, and I'm not sure I'll ever sign up for Gold membership again. I just can't believe that they not only lack a quit option in the console menu, but that they actually try and pressure you to stay. The whole process (including the menu system at the support line, that took me about 2-3 minutes just to get put through to an operator) just seemed very cheap and unprofessional, though maybe I shouldn't be so surprised given the vendor I'm dealing with...

[Grammaticus]

I did not realize you could cancel it.

[MizzouRah]

Yeah, it's a pain in the ass, especially after giving 15 pieces of information to 5 different people. Don't these people have pc's that can transfer your information to the next person?

There DEFINITLY should be a cancel option on Xbox Live. Unfortunetly to get get roster updates you have to have a membership.

[Groundhog]

Originally Posted by MizzouRah

Yeah, it's a pain in the ass, especially after giving 15 pieces of information to 5 different people. Don't these people have pc's that can transfer your information to the next person?

Yup. I had to give every single one of my details to several people, most of whom could not seem to understand my Aussie accent, despite me talking very slowly and clearly, and spelling everything out. A major pain in the ass.

There DEFINITLY should be a cancel option on Xbox Live. Unfortunetly to get get roster updates you have to have a membership.

Yeah, I'm going to miss the roster updates. I might look in to that data copy hardware that I've heard about so that I can download the rosters on my PC and transfer them over.

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by Groundhog

Yeah, I'm going to miss the roster updates. I might look in to that data copy hardware that I've heard about so that I can download the rosters on my PC and transfer them over.

I'm going to get one when I pick up NCAA 08. I'm done with Live Gold as well, after this month.

[DanGarion]

You could always just have your credit card company dispute the charges because it's too difficult to cancel.

[Sweed]

Originally Posted by MizzouRah

Unfortunetly to get get roster updates you have to have a membership.

This is what stopped me from buying nhl 07 for the 360. I just don't get this, spend $60 for a game and have to "buy" the roster updates? I know there is the transfer kit available but still after $60 you'd think updates would be included.

Both NBA 2k7 and The Show for ps3 have roster updates, no charge. I would think EA would have the same thing for ps3 games. But who knows maybe they'll have the balls to charge through the online store?

[SackAttack]

I'm surprised you guys gave out all that personal information.

When I had to call to cancel my Phantasy Star Universe thing, they had this creepy-sounding guy (I'm fairly certain it was more like HAL 9000) asking for all that info, and I simply refused to give them anything but the last four digits of the credit card, last name, and billing address. They asked for all kinds of stuff, but I refused and kept escalating until I got a live human to cancel it without that other info.

I would imagine the same thing would be viable for canceling the Live account itself.

[Groundhog]

I was told it was neccessary for me to verify all the details they asked for (name, d.o.b., address, phone number) in order to cancel the account.

[kingnebwsu]

A good solution to this would be to buy the monthly cards they sell in stores (1/3/12 month). This way no CC is needed. Next time my Live is up (sadly in 11 months) I will cancel it and sign up again with the 12-month card.

[SackAttack]

Originally Posted by Groundhog

I was told it was neccessary for me to verify all the details they asked for (name, d.o.b., address, phone number) in order to cancel the account.

Lies. Lies and shenanigans.

If you keep escalating, they will get somebody who'll do it just to get you out of their hair.

But no, if you have a credit card attached to the account, and you know the last four digits of said card number, and you know the address associated with the account, there is no good reason they can't cancel it.

They wanted practically everything but my mother's social security number when I tried to cancel my PSU account, and I kept repeating "No. You have all the information I'm going to give you. Cancel the account, or transfer me to someone who will."

If they kept persisting - and at least one person tried - I just cut 'em off and repeated myself. Eventually, they'll get tired of banging their head against the wall.

Asking for all that information is basically their way of getting YOU to go 'fuck it' and give up trying to cancel.

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by Sweed

This is what stopped me from buying nhl 07 for the 360. I just don't get this, spend $60 for a game and have to "buy" the roster updates? I know there is the transfer kit available but still after $60 you'd think updates would be included.

Both NBA 2k7 and The Show for ps3 have roster updates, no charge. I would think EA would have the same thing for ps3 games. But who knows maybe they'll have the balls to charge through the online store?

It's every game on the 360 as far as I know and the sole reason I'm finally getting a transfer kit.

[gstelmack]

Are you sure you need a Gold account for those downloads and not just a free Silver account?

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by gstelmack

Are you sure you need a Gold account for those downloads and not just a free Silver account?

Postitive. You can't log into the LIVE servers within the game without a gold account.

Now, I thought maybe 2k sports games you could, but I couldn't with MLB 2k7.

[gstelmack]

That's stupid. The whole POINT of the Silver account is to give people an opportunity to access marketplace to download content (free or pay) without the annual fee. The annual fee is for matchmaking and other features (such as early access).

Have you tried downloading the rosters from the dashboard?

Just checking on all this, as I've never been without a Gold account since I got my original Xbox.

[TroyF]

Originally Posted by kingnebwsu

A good solution to this would be to buy the monthly cards they sell in stores (1/3/12 month). This way no CC is needed. Next time my Live is up (sadly in 11 months) I will cancel it and sign up again with the 12-month card.

That's the way I purchase and extend as well. I don't even buy points on live, I buy a card and insert them with the code.

I love the service and have had no problems. I'll just keep upgrading this way every year.

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by TroyF

That's the way I purchase and extend as well. I don't even buy points on live, I buy a card and insert them with the code.

I love the service and have had no problems. I'll just keep upgrading this way every year.

The best way for sure.