Monday, February 8, 2010

Xbox 360 DLC - Why I Decided Not Too


With the recent death of my PS3 and not sure yet, exactly how much saved data I am going to lose it made me think.

I just lost a PS3 that I paid $800 on release day. I have a Xbox that I paid $400 4 years later. so now I am going to purchase a new PS3 for $300 and will lose all my saved data on some of my games. Games that I still enjoy but no way in hell am I going back to unlock all that stuff again. Also some DLC games that I will lose all my saved data and I have to download them all again.

What got me thinking, was this. I will not be replacing my Xbox when it dies, and I know it will, its only a matter of time. So if I download any DLC for the Xbox, I then lose all the DLC. I can't then turn around and sell the DLC games. They will be forever lost , stuck on my XBL account.

I don't agree with the making games that lock the saved data to one system. They have to come up with some other method than that. I own a game, I worked hard on it and I should be able to do what I want with my saved data.

To think that when my Xbox dies I will again have a bunch of DLC that I won't have access to unless I buy another Xbox. With the thought of having to replace all my hardware every 3-4 years makes me sick. Its because of that and I don't have money out the wazzoo,I have to choose one console to be my main console.

I enjoy the Xbox and its games, but I can't afford to pump money into something that has a 50/50 chance of dieing in the next 2-3 years.

13 comments:

rowen26 said...

And Microsoft will soon turn off the original Xbox live channels (or whatever they're called) for the original Xbox.

So no one will be able to replay any Xbox stuff.

That's one of the problems I have with online gaming, especially MMPORPGs. I like keeping my old games and maybe a few years down the line try and play with them again.

With online stuff, the companies control the extent of my games' lifespan. And that bugs me.

Jaison said...

Always with the Xbox hatin.

Granted Microsoft has had it's problems with systems breaking. I've had mine break twice since the systems launch. The first time they replaced it for free and the second time (despite the fact that the warranty expired) they replaced it for 80 bucks, with free shipping, and added another 1 year warranty. At this rate I can have my 360 break another 2 times and it still won't cost me as much as your new PS3.

Microsoft ain't perfect, but they ain't all bad either.

Blake said...

I"m not hatin on Xbox, where you get hatin on the Xbox outta that?!

I'm just saying that after losing my data on the PS3 I wouldn't want to go through all that again with a different system.

History dictates that I have a very high chance of my system dieing. So based off History alone, I rather not fill my Xbox with a bunch of DLC and end up losing it all upon my xbox's death.

AT this point I am just annoyed with the hardware in general. This is not the era of built to last, which is very sad, people shouldn't get used to their gear busting in 2-4 years.

Loner Gamer said...

Sounds like you should stick with gaming on the PC especially with DRM being more customer friendly these days - even with Electronic Arts games, imagine that!

With Microsoft expanding the X-Box Live on-demand for the PC, there's no better time to abandon buying downloadable games on the X-Box 360 if you are paranoid about the console. Playing Live-enabled games on the PC is free as well - no need for a Gold Live account - something you may want to consider.

Jaison said...

I agree that systems this generation are far too unreliable. Consumers should expect more from there consoles considering the amount they pay for them.

As far as the hatin goes I don't have to look any farther than the title. "Xbox 360 DLC - Why Not Too" This is a problem with all DLC not just 360s. Why just single out the 360. It's the same problem if a ps3 or wii or ipod breaks. I don't think you're trying to sound like a fanboy but sometimes you're posts seem a little one sided.

Blake said...

Ah, the title comes from me not having a PS3 to play on so I was thinking of downloading some DLC games.

But then after much thought, decided not too. So the title is based off just that, "why I decided not to download anything on the 360"

Kim said...

I'm confused......
You say that you loose xbox DLC when it dies but we didn't lose ours.
When we had the red ring of death and sent ours away we got a new one back (not our old one). You keep your hard drive and when you get the new one back, snap the hard drive piece back on and voila! all your saved data and DLC is still there.
I will also bring this fact up (i used this fact to help matt pick out his new headset). You game. You game a fair bit. When you work our your hours of use VS cost, I bet it works out well. A lot better than a book or a movie. Its not like your ps3 just sits there and is never used. You used it all the time. Just for instance, say you game 10 hours a week (an hour a night and a bit more on weekends). Ps3 was released Nov '06. So conservatively you used it for 560 hours. Doing the math you get $1.43 per every hour of use and its probably higher than that. Thats cheaper than most things you do for an hour. It does suck that it broke. I'm not going to lie. But everything brakes after a lot of use.... clothing, people, cars, tvs, cell phones etc.etc. It was bound to break sometime
Yes it sucks that you are not guaranteed to get all your saved data, but realistically you don't REALLY replay games unless you love them so really what are you losing? You had HOURS and HOURS of enjoyment from it. Those hours will always be in your memories. Do you really need a little tiny icon for an achievement to tell you that? Who cares about the steep initial cost if it is something that you enjoy and use all the time.

Josh Rodgers said...

That sucks you can't get your save data but don't go knockin' the download content. A lot of it is crap but some of it is well worth the $5-10. I had a blast playing the Ballad of Gay Tony for GTAIV!

All I'm sayin is it's all in good fun.

Does Sony keep track of your downloads online? Could you download all your stuff again or keep your trophies by logging into their site?

Blake said...

No Kim. I lose my DLC if I don't buy another Xbox. Can't very well play games if I don't have a system to play them on.

In regards to save data, I guess it must work different for a xbox cause I can't just swap out hard drives that contain my save data with a different PS3. The first thing it ask you to do with a different hard drive is reformat it. If I do that I lose all my saved data.

So the only thing to do is do a transfer using the ethernet cable (which doesn't work on my old PS3) so my only other option is too do a back up. Doing this method doesn't allow me copy my copyrighted saved data to the new PS3.

So I'm shit outta luck.

I regards to your hrs of usage and breakage, then my toilet should have die years ago. lol:)

Josh Rodgers said...

You should call Sony's customer service line and see if they can do anything for ya. You might be able to salvage your data yet!

Blake said...

There is nothing I can do that I already have done again and over again.

Called Sony, talked with TEch guys, taken apart my PS3, looked into all my options over, under and through.

Its like beating a dead horse at this point.

Edward said...

Recently I started downloading from PSN and I was considering using XBLA on my 360.
But damn, when I read posts like yours I'm remembered of how much I hate douwnloadable games. As an old school collector, I always prefer physical media. They live forever if you take good care of them, and it helps that my gaming choices don't rely so much on saved data.

Elizabeth J. Neal said...

They have to come up with some other method than that. I own a game, I worked hard on it and I should be able to do what I want with my saved data. Dead Rising 3 Xbox One

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