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Gadgets Microsoft to Replace Damaged Halo 3 Discs
Jason Mick (Blog) - September 26, 2007 8:29 AM
Print 35 comment(s) - last by sxr7171.. on Sep 29 at 2:25 PM
Microsoft has announced that they will offer replacements to scratched discs.

Microsoft acknowledged reports that Halo 3's special limited-edition disc packaging has caused scratching and has extended an offer to replace any damaged discs.

Microsoft has even offered to replace the Halo 3 discs and any other Xbox 360 game discs through the end of the year.  The offer only applies to a select list of games that are published by Microsoft.  Some costs may apply--only Halo 3's disc is offered to be replaced for free.

No replacement will be made if less than 90% of the damaged disc is enclosed. Other terms can be found here.

The following other games are currently listed in the replacement page. The other games besides Halo 3 currently cost $20.00 U.S. to replace. The replacement program does not include manuals or games, only the disc. You can find a form to order the replacement here (PDF).

DailyTech first reported the news of the damaged disc reports on Saturday.  The report features photos of scratched discs.

Many gamers' fury will be quelled by Microsoft's offer, but some will likely be unhappy that the other games in the plan are not free to replace like Halo 3.

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Pretty standard operating procedure...
By killerroach on 9/26/2007 9:17:37 AM , Rating: 3
...although the replacement costs for the other games sound quite high (not sure if they still have it, but EA used to have a replacement program for $10... and that was with the CD era, having sometimes to send multiple discs).

When the Halo 3 Limited Edition problem was announced, Microsoft was really left with no choice but to replace the discs for free. Considering that it is a cost-premium product, I'm somewhat surprised they aren't throwing anything extra in to help mollify their customers (people who bought the Limited Edition of BioShock got a free bound copy of the art book if their Big Daddy figurine was damaged in shipping), but other than that, the timely announcement of the free replacement offer should be good news.




By mdogs444 on 9/26/2007 9:22:51 AM , Rating: 3
They really cant do that. Im sure there are people who bought LE's which were not damaged. If they werent damaged, and Microsoft is giving away bonus material free, whats to stop someone from intentionally scratching the disc just to get the free material?

Its only taken a few days for Microsoft to realize the magnitude of the problem, and correct it. Lets all realize that Microsoft themselves is not doing the packaging & shipping of the product - so its either coming out of their pockets, or the third party company who was contracted to to do the packing/shipping.


RE: Pretty standard operating procedure...
By TomZ on 9/26/2007 9:25:07 AM , Rating: 2
I agree - I think $20 is too high - there's not much justification in my mind for there to be so much profit margin in a disc-replacement program. It is a customer service/goodwill offering and should be as cheap as possible to the customer.


RE: Pretty standard operating procedure...
By killerroach on 9/26/2007 9:38:38 AM , Rating: 2
No kidding... especially when some of the games in question are old enough now that you can pick them up new for close to $20...


By omnicronx on 9/26/2007 10:26:02 AM , Rating: 2
I'm pretty sure those games have been listed for more than a year on the replacement page. You are right though, $20 is too much now when you can pick up all those games pretty cheap. They have to either add some titles, or lower the price.


RE: Pretty standard operating procedure...
By Locutus465 on 9/26/2007 10:04:36 AM , Rating: 2
Perhaps $20 is a bit much, but I think charging for the other games is fine... Frankly, as far as I know there was nothing wrong with the packaging on any of the other games, at least the subset of them I own are fine (Gears, Halo 2, Fusion Frenzy 2)... I did get the Halo 3 LE, but fortunetly for me my game disc was attached when I received it, so I'm happy. My extra features disc was detached, but only have superficial damange.


RE: Pretty standard operating procedure...
By fic2 on 9/26/2007 11:43:50 AM , Rating: 2
It wasn't the packaging on the other discs. It is the 360 player grinding them. Since MS made the 360 and approved the players that are causing the problem MS should replace the discs for free.


By Locutus465 on 9/26/2007 1:09:30 PM , Rating: 2
Not all of those games are 360 games, Halo 2 for instance... Like I said, $20 is a bit on the high side, but I don't see charging something as being horrible... Personally I'd go more with $5 (includes s&h for contenental USA).


RE: Pretty standard operating procedure...
By crazyblackman on 9/27/07, Rating: 0
By mars777 on 9/27/2007 7:48:47 AM , Rating: 2
Because not only the consoles are ~30% broken, but even games come broken out of the box...

This is intolerable. They should give a new copy of the game AND A FULL REFUND. Like Toshiba did with the laptops.


RE: Pretty standard operating procedure...
By kitchme on 9/26/2007 11:59:04 AM , Rating: 2
I always assumed the replacement program charges just S&H as copying a disc costs but a few pennies. Charging $20, especially for older games is a massive profit.


RE: Pretty standard operating procedure...
By Locutus465 on 9/26/2007 1:11:59 PM , Rating: 2
This is the case if the disc is deffective out of the box like the Halo 3 LE discs being replaced are. I'm not sure if there is a standard for games as old as Halo 2 where the user has likely been playing the game for over a year now...


RE: Pretty standard operating procedure...
By kitchme on 9/26/2007 1:52:13 PM , Rating: 2
Well, you cannot back up your own games, and it seems they're expecting that you play that game for a limited time and then repurchase it again for $20. It's ludicrous to charge that much for an older game (or any game) since you already paid for it. They're just making a copy for you since you're not allowed to do it yourself. Older games are most likely discounted and it will not be much more expensive, if at all, than a copy they're providing for you. Burning a disc should never cost $20, but maybe $0.20 + S&H.


By Locutus465 on 9/26/2007 2:22:32 PM , Rating: 2
Fair point, though I guess the modern console companies (ms, nin, sony) aren't so sympathedic in part because you've never been able to make backups of console games were still relivent (i.e. I doubt anyone made a back up of super mario bros in 1985). It's just the way the business always has been. As far as the griding issue, I've lost track of what MS's take on the issue is. I think last I heard they were still dening it was a widespeard issue (whether or not that is correct), that might have changed...

I'm not saying any of the above constitues the right way to run a console market... I'm just saying that's the way things are... Personally I'd love to see copying specifically for the purposes of making backups being possible... But then again one would have to worry about wide speard piracy, something which in the past actually has killed console OEMS (see Atari).


good to hear...
By Quiksel on 9/26/2007 9:22:50 AM , Rating: 2
although you have to be sitting there wondering how many more times Microsoft is going to have this kind of bad news happen before someone over there starts gettin' axed... I mean, it's bad publicity, and programs like these are practically REQUIRED just to try and save face.

Aren't shareholders wondering what in the world is going on at Microsoft? CD/DVD's aren't expensive, but making these programs and rolling them out, etc., are not trivial to a company's bottom line (ok, maybe they are, I have no hard facts on that)... But these guys are starting to be more like Apple (or the other way around, depending on how Jobs-centric you fall), and we all know that on DT, being like Apple in this department is BAD (tongue-in-cheek).

End of the day, I'm hoping that SHOWSTOPPING MS problems are to meet their doom to the best superhero out there, whom we all love and adore: Quality Assurance. Fighting for truth and justice, and the end of the line for the evil likes of RROD and Scratched-Up CD.

~q




RE: good to hear...
By mdogs444 on 9/26/2007 9:24:07 AM , Rating: 2
Microsoft does not do the packaging and shipping of the games. They contract a third party vendor to do so, so the blaim shouldn't fall on them...but props to Microsoft for taking quick action.


RE: good to hear...
By TomZ on 9/26/2007 9:27:33 AM , Rating: 1
I disagree - it is a Microsoft product, and if there is a problem with it, blame should go to Microsoft. If they contracted out the manufacture, that doesn't absolve them of any of the responsibility. They are still responsible for the quality of the end product.

But I agree, it is good that Microsoft is reacting pretty quickly to the problem.


RE: good to hear...
By mdogs444 on 9/26/2007 9:34:35 AM , Rating: 2
But they are taking responsibility for it by executing quick action, and replacing the games free of charge.

Alot of times we place blame on manufacturers because their name is on a product that was defective, and rightfully so. But in behind the scenes in the real world, most companies do not do 100% of the product lifecycle themselves. Most companies do outsource the packaging and shipping because it is much cheaper.

While in this case, Microsoft will and is taking the blame and taking corrective action - it truly is the fault of the packaging & shipping vendor and my guess is that the third party vendor is the one who will actually be paying for these reimbursements out of their pocket.


RE: good to hear...
By fic2 on 9/26/2007 11:49:30 AM , Rating: 3
At some point MS was involved in the design of the packaging/packing of the product. I am sure that the final version also had to be approved by MS. If they don't do testing of a product (and who here thinks MS tests anything) in the end it is MS responibility since it is MSs name taking a hit.

I consider this like the China lead paint used in toys. Yes, it was the fault of the end manufacturer, but if companies are stupid enough to order products from a 3rd world manufacturer and do no QC on them they deserve the publicity.

And, yes, MS did do the right thing in a timely manner.


RE: good to hear...
By crazyblackman on 9/27/07, Rating: 0
RE: good to hear...
By on 9/26/2007 11:02:13 AM , Rating: 1
quote:
Aren't shareholders wondering what in the world is going on at Microsoft?


QA has never mattered at Microsoft. And apparently shareholders are more enamored with Master Chief ringing the closing bell at NASDAQ. (MS was up 1.65% for the day.)

http://www.majornelson.com/archive/2007/09/25/at-n...


RE: good to hear...
By TomZ on 9/26/2007 11:56:03 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
QA has never mattered at Microsoft.

That's a pretty ignorant statement. Ever think that Microsoft shareholders know something you don't?


Quality Control
By StillPimpin on 9/26/2007 10:25:46 AM , Rating: 2
With all the quality issues that Microsoft has had since the into of the 360 it seems that someone would initiate a serious QC overhaul. Broken systems now scratched disks because someone didn’t design the retention mechanism correctly. I tell you, if this were my company I'd be highly pissed that someone hasn't caught some of these issues before products shipped.




RE: Quality Control
By anonymo on 9/26/2007 10:57:44 AM , Rating: 1
Seriously when will people give this up?

Ever been to McDonalds? Ever bought a pair of Nikes? Ordered a Dell?

Don't talk like MicroSoft is the only company on the planet that has issues with QC, it makes you look like a hater.


RE: Quality Control
By deeznuts on 9/26/2007 1:09:29 PM , Rating: 2
I'm pretty sure none of them have a 30% failure rate on anyone product, which is truly astronomical when you thinkk about it.

Which MS has never denied have they? Could it be even higher?

Of course they're not the only ones who have issues with QC, but I have yet to hear of a top tier company that has such a high failure rate on a product and not issue a full recall.


RE: Quality Control
By crazyblackman on 9/27/07, Rating: 0
RE: Quality Control
By sxr7171 on 9/29/2007 2:25:42 PM , Rating: 2
It's really true. Companies like Sony make crap products also (defective camera CCDs, Explosive batteries, Rootkits, etc.) but somehow they were forced into recalling these crap products (except for an early 2000s DVD player they made that was notoriously defective).

Even Nintendo recalled their Wii straps at the slightest complaint of them not being strong enough.

Does anyone at MS even test these products before manufacturing them?


Was hoping it was rumors...
By AmbroseAthan on 9/26/2007 9:38:44 AM , Rating: 2
I pre-ordered the Halo3 LE through NewEgg and it showed up nice and shiny yesterday. Opened it up with a bit of fear, but hoping the news was more rumors and a bit over-hyped.

Didn't seem to be. Both the Game Disc and the DVD are pretty decently scratched. My only worry was would the game play and so far, through the first 4 levels, it is working just fine. I am glad to see the replacement period has until the end of the year, so I can play through the game then replace the discs.

Glad Microsoft stepped up to the plate so quickly on this one.




My question is
By FITCamaro on 9/26/2007 9:42:52 AM , Rating: 2
Under what conditions will they replace the disc? If it is scratched but still works, will they replace it? Mine has a few light scratches on it but still works fine. But I wouldn't mind having it replaced for free.

I just don't want to send it in and then have them charge me to send it back saying I sent in a working disc.




A bit odd...
By Aikouka on 9/26/2007 10:58:14 AM , Rating: 2
I noticed XBOX Live Arcade Unplugged Vol. 1 is on the list and based on the remarks, it is part of the paid group. This means that you have to pay $20 to replace the disc. Well, that's all and good right? Except when you go to the store and see that the game itself only costs $19.99 :P. I won't even get into my qualms about that game and how having a disc ruins the nature of the XBL Arcade games.




Good News
By clovell on 9/26/2007 12:15:53 PM , Rating: 2
This is good news. I opened my pre-ordered H3-LE in the store after purchasing it, having been promised a new disk if mine had any scratches. My game disk was in perfect shape, but my bonus disk had come loose and was scratched in a few places. Unfortunately, the store could only replace game disks right there and I was told to give Microsoft a call about getting a new bonus disk.

I'm not entirely sure that it has irreparable damage - there's one short, deep scratch and a lot of tiny surface scratches. I'm glad, though, that Microsoft has acknowledged the problem and setup a program to deal with it. I'll most likely be sending my bonus disk in soon. No sense in waiting to see if I'll have problems.




Contradiction
By deeznuts on 9/26/2007 1:14:09 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
Microsoft has even offered to replace the Halo 3 discs and any other Xbox 360 game discs through the end of the year. The offer only applies to a select list of games that are published by Microsoft.


Anybody find these two statements contradictory?




By rcreyes on 9/26/2007 5:35:25 PM , Rating: 2
This is one of the reasons that Microsoft consoles fail so miserably in Japan. The Japanese consumers are very nitpicky about quality, having been spoiled by the high standards their companies have. This latest Microsoft goof-up surprises even me.




M$ cant get anything right!!
By mondo1234 on 9/27/2007 11:29:53 PM , Rating: 2
Too many irons in the fire.
xbox dies with RROD, HALO disks scratched. Vista downgrades to XP. Zune sucks!!!!
M$ should get back to OS building and that is all. Presently, they build alot of stuff poorly at best. They went from a great OS company to a company that builds everything poorly. They are no longer a wall street darling.




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