Owned copy of Black Flag doesn't work since it went free with Games with Gold

I spent over an hour with chat support in May going through this issue and it has not been resolved. When I purchased my Xbox One it came with a copy of Black Flag and Unity. Since Black Flag went free with the Games with Gold program my Xbox account apparently
has no idea what copy I own, and I can't play Black Flag without an Xbox Live account. Unity works perfectly fine (until it might go free then that won't work either).

I refuse to spend another two hours on chat support getting nowhere again. I would like my account flagged as owning Black Flag WITHOUT needing an Xbox Live account. It's not asking much - I spent $500 on this system I should be able to play the
game I own without Xbox Live which I was able to until this Games with Gold fiasco. I have the code, my account is showing I own the game, I want to actually own it.

Thank you.

Below is the entire conversation I had with chat support, with codes redacted.

?

Contact us

Continue watching help video

Agent Photo

Melissa W

End chat

Melissa W

Hi, thanks for visiting Xbox Support! I'm Melissa W.

11:34 am

Melissa W

Thank you for choosing Xbox Chat Support. How are you today?

11:34 am

Me

I'm well!

11:34 am

Melissa W

That's great to hear! How can I help you today?

11:35 am

Me

I bought an Xbox One about two years ago that came with two free Assassin's Creed games. Black Flag went Free with Games for gold at some point, and now it seems to be flagged on my account that I need Xbox Live to play... the other Assassin's Creed game that
came with my Xbox One works fine offline. I would like Black Flag linked as purchased on my account so I can play it... since I technically own it.

11:36 am

Melissa W

I'll be happy to check into that for you. Could I please have your gamertag?

11:37 am

Me

It's Oxxxxxxxxxxx

11:38 am

Melissa W

Thank you! Please allow me to open the account for review. I'm still here if you need me.

11:38 am

Me

I do still have the game download code if that would help at any point. I also tried deleting and re-downloading the game but it still says I need Live to play. It's only Black Flag that gets the error - the other game, Unity, works perfectly fine.

11:41 am

Melissa W

Okay thanks for the update!

11:44 am

Melissa W

I'm reviewing your licenses on this account for you.

11:45 am

Melissa W

I found the license for Assassin's Creed Black Flag. I'm researching to see what would cause this issue.

11:51 am

Me

Thank you!

11:51 am

Melissa W

These troubleshooting steps will need to be completed in sequence so I'll post them together.

11:54 am

Me

Ok

11:54 am

Melissa W

Clear Persistent storage:

1. Scroll left from Home to open the guide.

2. Select Settings.

3. Select All Settings.

4. Select Disc & Blu-ray.

5. Select Blu-ray.

6. Select Persistent storage.

7. Select Clear persistent storage.

Reset MAC Address

1. Settings

2. All Settings

3. Network Settings

4. Advanced Settings

5. Alternate MAC Address

6. Clear (your console will reboot)

11:54 am

Melissa W

If you have any questions at all please let me know.

11:55 am

Me

Okay, I did all those steps and the system rebooted.

11:57 am

Melissa W

Is it back up now?

11:59 am

Me

Yep, Xbox is back up.

11:59 am

Melissa W

Lets try the game again.

11:59 am

Me

Still nothin'. Says to make sure my subscription to EA Access or Xbox Live Gold is active... with error code 0x803f800b

12:01 pm

Melissa W

I noticed that you have a lot of games, are any of the others that you have tried playing Games with Gold?

12:02 pm

Me

The ones that are locked to a Games with Gold subscription don't work, which I expect them not to (Sleeping Dogs, etc) and that's fine - but Black Flag was registered to my account before it went free I believe... I never even downloaded it through Games with
Gold. When I first got the Xbox I put the download code in that came with the system. I've even tried putting the code back in and it says I already own the game... but it won't work.

12:06 pm

Melissa W

I see, could I have the code you redeemed?

12:07 pm

Me

Yes - it's Mxxxxxxxxxxxx

12:08 pm

Melissa W

I show it was redeemed on this account. We need to uninstall the game, then reinstall it.

12:11 pm

Me

Ok

12:12 pm

Melissa W

When you go to reinstall, please go to the Store to reinstall. Let me know if you show that it's asking you to pay for it.

12:13 pm

Me

Yes, it gives me the option to either buy it, or says I can have it for free if I get Gold

12:15 pm

Melissa W

Click on Buy it, but stop before confirming the purchase.

12:15 pm

Me

All righty - got as far as hitting the final "Buy" button

12:17 pm

Melissa W

How much is it saying the purchase is for?

12:17 pm

Me

29.99 plus applicable taxes

12:19 pm

Melissa W

Are you sure you are logged in on the correct account?

12:22 pm

Me

Yes, I've only ever had one Xbox account. I did do a gamertag change - but I can't recall if it was before or after I redeemed the Black Flag code. I'm thinking it was after... but I don't know if that would effect it at all ... especially since, as mentioned,
Unity still works fine

12:23 pm

Melissa W

Could I have you try to purchase it on xbox.com?

12:24 pm

Me

Sure

12:26 pm

Melissa W

Does it ask you to purchase it for 29.99 there?

12:27 pm

Me

Heh... when I look on the store it says I own it.

12:28 pm

Melissa W

Okay, I refreshed your account information in our system. Lets try to reboot your console again, then try to install again from the store please?>

12:29 pm

Me

Okie dokie

12:29 pm

Melissa W

Thank you for your patience!

12:30 pm

Me

Bah - still has a price on it.

12:35 pm

Melissa W

Lets go back to xbox.com and see if that has an option to install from the site.

12:38 pm

Melissa W

Just checking in with you to see how things are going?

12:43 pm

Me

I don't see any option to install from the xbox.com site - I randomly looked up some other games and none have that option if they're Xbox One games.

12:45 pm

Melissa W

You should be able to install from xbox.com. My kids get games online and they set it to install from xbox.com.

12:50 pm

Melissa W

Lets go here>>
https://www.microsoft.com/en-US/store/p/Assassin-s-Creed-IV-Black-Flag/BRKMHZX1RCF2

Then since it's not asking you to pay for the game, then click on Install from the site.

12:53 pm

Me

Yeah, I literally have no option to install from site... Just a store page that says "You own this product" on it and no links to click or anything.

1:00 pm

Melissa W

I'm checking into it for you.

1:01 pm

Me

So I downloaded the Xbox app on my Android phone... and that does have a link that says Install. No mention of purchasing. It also says I purchased on 7/3/15... should I try installing through the app?

1:05 pm

Melissa W

Lets give it a shot. The option to install was there before on the site.

1:05 pm

Me

No dice - it won't push the download to the Xbox, but is happy to bring the store page up with the price options.

1:12 pm

Melissa W

I can see that you own the content, I believe that the system is confused as to which version you are entitled to.

1:15 pm

Melissa W

I'm working with an account specialist in the back end of the account to find what happened. I want to get this resolved for you.

1:16 pm

Me

Thanks - me too!

1:18 pm

Melissa W

Okay, here is what we have learned. This game requires an Xbox Live Gold subscription to play. There are only a few that have the Gold requirement. So, because you have been amazing to work with and patient I'm going to give you a month of
Gold for all your hard work!

1:19 pm

Melissa W

We - meaning the agent helping me with this and myself.

1:19 pm

Me

Thanks!

1:21 pm

Melissa W

Is *** Die E-Mail-Adresse wurde aus Datenschutzgründen entfernt. *** a good email for you?

1:21 pm

Me

Yes

1:22 pm

Melissa W

Perfect! The email is on its way, but I don't want you to have to wait any more. Here is the codePxxxxxxxxxxxx

1:23 pm

Melissa W

Please redeem it so we can ensure that this will help resolve the issue with your game.

1:24 pm

Me

Looks like I can install Black Flag again... but still don't own it without having Gold... even though I own it... :-(

1:26 pm

Melissa W

I'm going to send your information over to a group of specialists that work with these oddball issues. Please continue to use the game with the one month for now.

1:31 pm

Me

Thanks so much - not to sound ungrateful for a month of Gold at all, I am. Just frustrating!

1:32 pm

Melissa W

No, I completely understand.

1:32 pm

Melissa W

I would be upset too!

1:32 pm

Melissa W

Is there anything else I can help you with today?

1:32 pm

Me

Nope, that was it. Thanks again!

1:33 pm

Melissa W

You're very welcome!

Thanks for stopping by Xbox Customer Support to chat, and for being a valued member of the Xbox Community. I hope you have a great day!

Once you close chat you will also receive a survey shortly, I hope you can take a moment to respond as I would love to hear your feedback on how I have supported you during today’s interaction.

1:33 pm

Me

Will do - have a good day as well!

1:34 pm

System

Chat has ended.

1:34 pm

Check your internet connection.

:)

 

Can't play a bought game on Xbox One without XBL Gold.

So, I have this little problem with my Xbox One, well not the console itself but a game. I bought an Xbox One month or so ago and I got the Assassin's Creed Unity Bundle that came with Unity and AC IV: Black Flag and other stuff. Well, now I can't
play Black Flag at all for some reason. Unity works fine, but when I try to play Black Flag, it gives me the message that you get when you try to play a ''games with gold'' game without Xbox Live Gold on Xbox One. Now I need Gold just to play Black Flag that
came with the console. That doesn't make any sense. I don't know if there's any type of fix or something like that, but it's such a waste if I can't play it without Gold. I'm currently trying to re-download the game to see if it fixes it somehow but I doubt
it (re-downloading the game did not work). So, If anyone can help me with this in any way, please do leave your replies. Thanks a bunch! (I already tried to seek some help for this before, but It didn't help that time so I just copy n' pasted this)

 

Assassins Creed Black Flag

I got my copy of Black Flag through Xbox Live Gold free game of the month on 360, but it won't transfer to my xbox one. Do i have to buy the xbox one version? or is there a way around it?

 

See what happens if you try this:

1. Uninstall AC: Black Flag.
2. Remove your account from your Xbox.
3. Power cycle your console.
4. Add your account back.
5. Reinstall AC: Black Flag.

 

Tried this - still not working, says I need Xbox Live or an EA Access account - which I don't because I own the dang game.

I may sell the Xbox One at this point - I'm not going to buy a game that I already own, and the solution should be as simple as Microsoft just somehow "giving" me access to the full game.