Dear Microsoft,
Have you ever heard the word "no" before? When somebody says that word, it usually means they don't want something or would like an ongoing activity to stop. So for instance, when you notify me via Xbox Live that my subscription is about expire, then ask me if I want to auto-renew, my saying "no" to that means I don't want to auto-renew.
What it doesn't mean is that I would like an email the very next day telling me that you are going to auto-renew. What it does mean is that I would not like a repeat of last year, where you tried to charge a dead credit card because you won't let me add a new one since you've not allowed me to change region (and thus add a new card) after I moved to the United States.
Do you even remember what happened last year? When I had a UK Xbox Live Gold code to renew my subscription but you claimed I owed you money and wouldn't accept it because you tried to charge money to a card that expired years ago? A card I am still unable to remove -- even after talking to customer support -- because you've so deeply ingrained that shit into your system?
You might think it's a good business practice to force yourself onto your customers like a drunken fratboy with an ill-gotten boner, but ordinary human beings don't appreciate it. It's galling enough that you charge money for a service others provide for free, but to then try and ensure that nobody can stop paying when they've had enough takes us beyond grotesque and into the realm of unfathomably sleazy.
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to pull some strings and try to get myself a new UK Points Card while attempting to stop you from charging a years-dead credit card. A-fucking-gain.
Sincerely,
Jim Sterling.
Jim Sterling serves as reviews editor for Destructoid.com, head of the Podtoid podcast, and produces a number of news stories, original features, one-of-a-kind videos. With his passionate argumentative style, controversial opinions, harsh delivery, and dedication to brutal honesty Sterling is a name that you can't help but recognize.
Likes
PS2, iPod Touch, Silent Hill 2, Metal Gear Solid, Dynasty Warriors 3
Meet the rest of the team
| BBcode help |
| [b]Bold text[/b] |
Bold text |
| [i]Italic text[/i] |
Italic text |
| [url]http://www.dtoid.com/[/url] |
http://www.dtoid.com |
| [url=http://www.dtoid.com/]Web link[/url] |
Web link |
|
| [img]http://www.example.com/robot.jpg[/img] |
 |
Post a comment! You can also post a photo below:
Comment with Facebook
Click connect and comment instantly!
|
Comment with Dtoid
New? SIGN UP - it takes 5 seconds
|
187 comments | showing # 1 to 50
|
Comment with Facebook
Click connect and comment instantly!
|
Comment with Dtoid
New? SIGN UP - it takes 5 seconds
|
Comments policy
Destructoid is an open discussion community. You don't need to "audition" to post a comment - just speak your mind. We respect differing opinions on the site, so have at it. Be smart, funny, insightful, clueless, or cute -- but back it up with substance. Keep your cool, keep it fun. We only ask that you act respectfully and above all: don't be a troll and ruin it for everyone else. Don't bring down gamers or we'll, you know, gently shoot you in the face and stuff you into a flaming mailbox. Each comment is your opportuntity to make this community awesomer. Is that even a word?
Avoiding the banhammer only requires common sense: spamming, trolling, racism, NSFW stuff, and other forms of sucking will not be tolerated. If anyone is griefing please report abuse. Be good. Don't suck!
Contest:
8:00 AM on 11.06.2011 | 
So fucking much
FUCK
Point being, this kind of shit is just par for the course.
Just tell them you're cancelling your account. It's what I said after the service rep was whining and trying to force me to keep my card on there. After it got removed, I then went to the bank and got a new card as well.
Can't be trusting those drunken frat boys.
Trying to charge a dead debit card I lost months ago. Lady on phone was very helpful, and it was cancelled in about half an hour, but it shouldn't fucking take that.
Ask yourself everyone how much is too much?
but i understand your hate. after selling my 360 i had gotten emails about auto renew for about a year after. but i was lucky enough to close out that CC account and never got another renew notice.
Credit rape. it hurts.
Don't get me wrong, Sony fucked up royally a few months back, but I feel that my PSN account is much safer then that of my XBL account. Three of my friends (including one whose father happens to be an employee of Microsoft) have had their accounts hacked and stolen from them by Microsoft, evidently never to be returned. All their gamerscore, purchased items, etc are gone. Just another example of Microsoft "security".
*braces for MS fanboys* ...
*goes back to playing Uncharted*
After reading this article it struck me that I had paid for one month via paypal, so I decided to check the website. Lo and behold there's my paypal account, set to automatic renewal with no option to remove it. So apparently I'm just not allowed to stop paying them? THANKS GUYS.
P.S. I'm going to call customer support and hopefully they can take it off, but if not then F*** Microsoft.
Now the account expires in March 2013 and there's no CC on file.
I hate zombie billing.
i don't know what people find so superior about their online service, my ps3 is fine and has the benefit of being silent. and pc gaming also has free online.
You do realize that Destructoid is a blog, right?
Well Jim, Microsoft is obviously punishing you for ever living in the UK. Cant forget your roots and that dead card is part of them, so MS is really just helping you remember the torture of living in the UK. =D
@muttonface
If it goes up for any reason I would say inflation, but MS has maintained the pricing model for quite a while. They even offer up to $20 US off the base $60 pricing model through some retailers at certain times. Amazon had such a deal early last year for $39.99 yearly sub.
My pity sits with the WoWers... thats only one game. $14.99 x 12 = $180
THATS crazy to me.
"so what's your favorite genre?"
"single player games"
You'd think they'd stop providing the service when they discovered that they cannot charge your card.
Lol you didn't know?
Are u new here or just retarded?
I still have them both, but my 360 gathers dust. PS3 has been so much nicer. This isn't a fanboy statement either. It's a statement from someone who paid for Live for several years, and someone who got a launch 360 years before I got a PS3, and who simply had enough.
Why even still play on that system Jim? It's bullshit.
You would not BELIEVE how many stupid sheep come to this site. There are idiots here that will pretty much give you their money for literally almost ANYTHING, then call YOU a whiny little bitch for not paying for extraneous stuff.
Its almost amazing to watch if it weren't so sad and frustrating.
>get ms points
IMMEDIATELY REMOVE EVERY SINGLE CARD ON ACCOUNT
>yell at Xbox Support to tell them not to auto renew
>rinse
>repat
That's why i mostly reading and not commenting here (and on the others sites). People are crazy...
@jimmyx
"oh look dad! a guy with a marcus phenix avatar who can't accept any criticism about the company he loves, how surprising." Wake up guy or grow up, you're in love with a piece of plastic...
Like you?
Shit, that is brilliant. Thank you for sharing this little gem of knowledge.
Last year they charged me $80 for a year of gold because they charged me twice for the $40 "deal" they had before upping the price.
Not taking sides here, but saying that kind of thing does make you seem elitist. I'm not sure why I, or any Live subscriber for that matter, is ignorant for paying for a reliable and well established online console platform. Of course, since you don't pay anything extra for your platform of choice that makes YOU superior.
Enjoy getting shafted lads, I'll be over here buying PC games that I can play online for free.
Actually screw that online is boring, back to Xenoblade!