I'll Be Damned

Apparently, even after I've washed my hands of Microsoft, they've still got their grubby mitts on me. When I try to take action, I can't. Allow me to explain.

I signed up for Xbox Live back when I got my 360. I opted for the year in advance option for 50 bucks. You really can't beat about 4 bucks a month for online gaming. Trouble is, my Xbox 360 died twice in the span of a month and a half, and rather than continue to deal with bullshit, I got rid of it. That was back in November, when I still had about 6 months left on the contract. I figured since I still had my original Xbox, I could play that online. I didn't, but that's ok. Now, however, MS sent me an email stating that my account will automatically be renewed for another year in a few days. I tried to see if I could cancel online, but I can't. I've gotta call 1-800-4MY-XBOX to talk to a rep. Fantastic.

By calling, however, I can kill two birds with one stone. Cancel my Xbox Live account (seeing as how I don't have a 360 anymore and don't play my Xbox online or at all), and ask where the hell my refund check was for the out-of-warranty repair that was actually in-warranty due to the retroactive extension of said warranty. They said back in December it would arrive within 10 weeks. It's been about 20. I think I've given them the benefit of the doubt.

So I was all set to call tonight, talk to the rep, cancel my account, receive an apology for the refund check not being sent, and have that refund applied directly to the credit card they charged me on 7 months ago. The customer service line now has an IVR with some asshole named "Max." I went through the voice prompts (he only "didn't catch what I said" twice), and finally reached the cancel my Xbox Live account tree. Max then said, "Please call back during business hours. Our reps are here to help you from 6 am to 10 pm Pacific Time. Thanks for calling. Bye," and hung up. Fucking bullshit. If they're not going to be open 24 hours, I should be able to get my shit done online, whenever the fuck I want to. Now I've gotta call back tomorrow and waste the time I could be spending by hanging out with friends or going out to dinner or whatever the hell I could otherwise be doing.

I had been thinking about rebuying a 360 when they fixed the problems with it. Even if that happens, the problems with Microsoft won't be fixed, so I think I'll stay away. Far, far away. At this point, I might pick up a PS3 before I get a 360. At least then I could help cure cancer.