Bought an Xbox 360 from Wal-Mart

[Yzzim]

Bought a 360 from Wal-Mart tonight and am wanting to sign up to Live and give it a shot. The Wal-Mart return policy is something like 30 days on all video game systems. Can I sign up for Live and still be able to return the console in 30 days?

What happens to my Live account if I get a different 360 in a couple months? Do I lose my gamertag?

BTW, I did ask an employee, but she had no idea WTF I was talking about.

 

[Skyye]

I am pretty sure the gamertag will call over to a new machine. They do have 1 and 3 month Live subs....But honestly, I would call microsoft directly and just ask for a free trial. I would not be surprised if they give you one. Let them know that you are simply testing the waters and don't want to get in too deep yet.

You can still return the console even if you sign up for live. Just simply delete your gamer profile off the HDD, and it should take care of everything for you. Better yet, get a memory card, and save the info there, then format the card and return it. Either way should work fine for you.

Keep in mind that you can always sign up for a silver membership for free right out of the box, you won't be able to play games, but you will have access to everything in the marketplace. Get some points too, on 11/22 Microsoft is going to launch a ton of HD content to download, if you have the points for it that is.

 

[Yzzim]

Originally posted by: Skyye
I am pretty sure the gamertag will call over to a new machine. They do have 1 and 3 month Live subs....But honestly, I would call microsoft directly and just ask for a free trial. I would not be surprised if they give you one. Let them know that you are simply testing the waters and don't want to get in too deep yet.

You can still return the console even if you sign up for live. Just simply delete your gamer profile off the HDD, and it should take care of everything for you. Better yet, get a memory card, and save the info there, then format the card and return it. Either way should work fine for you.

Keep in mind that you can always sign up for a silver membership for free right out of the box, you won't be able to play games, but you will have access to everything in the marketplace. Get some points too, on 11/22 Microsoft is going to launch a ton of HD content to download, if you have the points for it that is.

Thanks for the info.

I've heard that you can signup for Live and get 3 free Arcade Games. If I sign up for Live on this box and get those games, but then return the system, do I lose the games? Or can I download them on my different system I might get later?

 

[bucwylde23]

Originally posted by: Yzzim

Originally posted by: Skyye
I am pretty sure the gamertag will call over to a new machine. They do have 1 and 3 month Live subs....But honestly, I would call microsoft directly and just ask for a free trial. I would not be surprised if they give you one. Let them know that you are simply testing the waters and don't want to get in too deep yet.

You can still return the console even if you sign up for live. Just simply delete your gamer profile off the HDD, and it should take care of everything for you. Better yet, get a memory card, and save the info there, then format the card and return it. Either way should work fine for you.

Keep in mind that you can always sign up for a silver membership for free right out of the box, you won't be able to play games, but you will have access to everything in the marketplace. Get some points too, on 11/22 Microsoft is going to launch a ton of HD content to download, if you have the points for it that is.

Thanks for the info.

I've heard that you can signup for Live and get 3 free Arcade Games. If I sign up for Live on this box and get those games, but then return the system, do I lose the games? Or can I download them on my different system I might get later?

Yeah, you lose the games. They are on the hard drive, and not re-downloadable.

 

[msi1337]

with most retails video game systems are only exchangeable once opened. I don't know if walmarts policy is different.

 

[RagingBITCH]

I somehow DP'ed ????

 

[RagingBITCH]

Originally posted by: chrisg22

Originally posted by: Yzzim

Originally posted by: Skyye
I am pretty sure the gamertag will call over to a new machine. They do have 1 and 3 month Live subs....But honestly, I would call microsoft directly and just ask for a free trial. I would not be surprised if they give you one. Let them know that you are simply testing the waters and don't want to get in too deep yet.

You can still return the console even if you sign up for live. Just simply delete your gamer profile off the HDD, and it should take care of everything for you. Better yet, get a memory card, and save the info there, then format the card and return it. Either way should work fine for you.

Keep in mind that you can always sign up for a silver membership for free right out of the box, you won't be able to play games, but you will have access to everything in the marketplace. Get some points too, on 11/22 Microsoft is going to launch a ton of HD content to download, if you have the points for it that is.

Thanks for the info.

I've heard that you can signup for Live and get 3 free Arcade Games. If I sign up for Live on this box and get those games, but then return the system, do I lose the games? Or can I download them on my different system I might get later?

Yeah, you lose the games. They are on the hard drive, and not re-downloadable.

No. Live Arcade games are based off your gamertag - if you switch or get a new XBox, you're able to redownload those games onto the new XBox 360 based off your gamertag. You will have to recover your gamertag onto that new 360. If someone else attempts to play those existing games on the old 360, but using their gamertag, they'll be able to because it's linked to that 360, not necessarily anything to do with the gamertag. If on your new 360, someone using their gamertag tries to play those games, they won't be able to because those games are linked to the gamertag. There was a big blog (link) on XBox-scene.com (think Major Nelson?) about how that works.

You can carryover your gamertag to a new machine - however, when you sign up you'll use a credit card - I don't think you can recover that gamertag if you cancel it, I'm not 100% sure - I would contact Microsoft to make sure.

 

[Skyye]

I am pretty sure that they are only able to be on the system that they are downloaded on, (well hard drive) but really not 100% sure.

Still a bit confused as to why you want to get it now, return it, then get it again later... Are you waiting for the price drop?? Or do you plan to do this with a Wii as well? Just curious, I stand by my 360, quality product have had a few issues with reading disks, but nothing serious. Now with the addition of the HD content, I think that Microsoft is positioning themselves for a lot of new buyers.

**edit** Well there you go, while I was typing my response, looks like some other people answered the question for you. So it appears the games are linked to the gamertag directly, thats good to know.

 

[RagingBITCH]

Well on the original 360 it was downloaded on, it's playable by any gamertag. If a gamertag is ported over to a new system, and games redownloaded, only that gamertag can play those games. I'll find that link...

 

[bucwylde23]

Originally posted by: RagingBITCH

Originally posted by: chrisg22

Originally posted by: Yzzim

Originally posted by: Skyye
I am pretty sure the gamertag will call over to a new machine. They do have 1 and 3 month Live subs....But honestly, I would call microsoft directly and just ask for a free trial. I would not be surprised if they give you one. Let them know that you are simply testing the waters and don't want to get in too deep yet.

You can still return the console even if you sign up for live. Just simply delete your gamer profile off the HDD, and it should take care of everything for you. Better yet, get a memory card, and save the info there, then format the card and return it. Either way should work fine for you.

Keep in mind that you can always sign up for a silver membership for free right out of the box, you won't be able to play games, but you will have access to everything in the marketplace. Get some points too, on 11/22 Microsoft is going to launch a ton of HD content to download, if you have the points for it that is.

Thanks for the info.

I've heard that you can signup for Live and get 3 free Arcade Games. If I sign up for Live on this box and get those games, but then return the system, do I lose the games? Or can I download them on my different system I might get later?

Yeah, you lose the games. They are on the hard drive, and not re-downloadable.

No. Live Arcade games are based off your gamertag - if you switch or get a new XBox, you're able to redownload those games onto the new XBox 360 based off your gamertag. You will have to recover your gamertag onto that new 360. If someone else attempts to play those existing games on the old 360, but using their gamertag, they'll be able to because it's linked to that 360, not necessarily anything to do with the gamertag. If on your new 360, someone using their gamertag tries to play those games, they won't be able to because those games are linked to the gamertag. There was a big blog (link) on XBox-scene.com (think Major Nelson?) about how that works.

You can carryover your gamertag to a new machine - however, when you sign up you'll use a credit card - I don't think you can recover that gamertag if you cancel it, I'm not 100% sure - I would contact Microsoft to make sure.

Wow, didn't even know that. I'm glad you cleared it up though, because I always thought that if my hard drive crashed I'd be screwed out of a lot of money NOw it would just be game saves

 

[RagingBITCH]

http://blogs.msdn.com/xboxteam/archive/2006/08/10/694758.aspx

Licensing and Xbox Live Marketplace content


Over the past few months, forumers have reported issues with certain content items functioning improperly. Prevalent among these issues was the report that their purchased content was no longer being recognized as ?purchased? by their boxes. The reason people seem to be having issues with these items is because of licensing.



When an item is purchased and subsequently downloaded for the first time, licenses to use the downloaded content are created and passed out to two separate locations. First, a license is created and issued to the console. This license enables all accounts to use this content freely, as long as the content is being accessed from said console ? any profile being used on the console will be able to use the content while on the console.



Second, a license is created and issued to the profile used to purchase the item. This license is different in that it allows the profile to use the content on whichever console it currently resides on, but only if it is connected to live. Only the signed-in account can use the paid-for content ? a license would have to be purchased on that console for everyone to be able to play. This seems to be where some people are getting tripped up ? bringing a profile with a license on it to another console will not give the second console a license as well.



Example Scenario:



Say we have Consoles A and B, and profiles Player1, Player2, Player3.



Player 1 purchases the full version of Geometry Wars on Console A. Console A now has a license for Geometry Wars, and anybody can play the full version of the game on that console. Player2 and Player3 are both able to enjoy the game as well on console A, as the console is licensed.



If Player1 moves to console B, he can still play the full version of Geometry Wars while he is signed into Live, as his profile has the license for the game. Player2 and Player3 would both be able to play the full version on console B, as well, as long as Player1 is connected to live on the same console. Once Player1 disconnects, however, Player2 and Player3, can only play the trial version, because they do not have the license, and nor does Console B. The only way Console B can be licensed is if another profile (Player2 or Player3) purchases the content on the new console.



Hopefully, this helps to clarify some of the issues you folks have been having. I?ll do my best to keep actively reading the forums, and will try to help out in any way I can.



Millael (Ben Salem)

Damn, xbox-scene's search *sucks*. Had to manually go through the archives to find that. But that's good info to know about the licensing system, I was slightly off in my original description.

 

[purbeast0]

the premium package comes with a 1 month trial of xbox live gold for free. sign up for that and if you return it, return it and dont worry about it.

 

[pontifex]

wtf would you buy an xbox now and then return it in 30 days only to buy another one later on?