The death of the family pack

So I had the live gold family pack with four members. Now that the family pack is gone, in order for all of us to be able to play multiplayer games I have to pay $240 plus tax every year instead of the $99 for the family pack. Can someone please tell me
why Microsoft is taking advantage of, angering and alienating its loyal xbox 360 customers?

Below is a transcript of the less than helpful conversation I had with xbox support. I have no issue with the agent, she was just working with what she had, but the lack of support and a proper escalation process is ridiculous.

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Risha: Hi Darryl, How may I help you today?

Darryl: Hi Risha,How does gold work for multiple users on xbox 360 after the demise of the family pack? We have 4 profiles, am I being
forced to buy 4 gold accounts now for online gaming?

Risha: Darryl yes the Family Pack has gone away and in order to continue online gaming each individual account would need Xbox Live
Gold.

Darryl: So I have to pay $240 plus tax per year to maintain the same functionality that I used to get for $99?

Risha: That is correct Darryl if the individuals are using it for online gaming. There are some changes coming in June for the Xbox
Live Gold.

Risha: We currently over 2 Free Games a month with the Gold Membership for the Xbox 360 but in June everyone will be able to access
popular entertainment apps for Xbox 360 without an Xbox LIVE Gold membership.

Risha: you will get access to a vast range of entertainment apps, including Netflix, Hulu Plus, HBO GO, YouTube, Twitch, ESPN, NFL,
Xbox Music, and experiences such as Internet Explorer, Skype, OneDrive, OneGuide, and Upload Studio without needing Xbox Live Gold.

Darryl: but my kids still won't be able to play multiplayer games, right?

Risha: Correct Darryl

Darryl: I would like you to submit this as an official complaint against Microsoft taking advantage of loyal customers. Over doubling
the cost to maintain functionality that has existed for years and that customers have come to rely on, it is absolutely ridiculous!

Risha: Darryl I do understand you are upset and we are offering 2 Free Games per month if you have the Gold membership.Those games
are yours to keep once you download them. Hopefully this can make up for the changes that have taken place regarding the Gold

Darryl: doesn't help much if the games have a multiplayer component that we can't use.

Darryl: please submit an official complaint on my behalf and we can call this chat done.

Risha: The chat is a recorded script.

Risha: Is there anything else I can assist you with today Darryl?

Darryl: What does "recorded script" mean? Is it reviewed by someone else after completion who will escalate it to ensure that the proper
people are aware that they are angering and alienating a portion of their customer base? Or does it just sit in a database never to be seen again?

Risha: Darryl I am checking on this for you. Just a moment.

Risha: Darryl we have a Forums page that you can go to and post there regarding your concerns and get feedback. http://forums.xbox.com/xbox_forums/xbox_support/xbox_360_support/default.aspx

Darryl: So you're saying that Microsoft's customer service desk doesn't have an escalation process for when an agent can't resolve a
customer's issue or when an issue needs further attention?

Risha: Darryl we were able to answer your questions regarding the Gold Membership changes. If you want to file a complaint you can
do so on the forums site.

Risha: Darryl is there anything else we can assist you with today?

Darryl: I guess not. goodbye.

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Thanks,

Darryl

:)

 

"Upgrading" to Family Gold; with 2 existing accounts

Hi there,

to set up the family pack all accounts have to be on the console where the primary account is. But after the setup of the family pack is completed, the accounts can be recovered/moved to any other console and would still be a member of the family pack.

On this link you can find a lot of information about the family pack:

support.xbox.com/.../billing-points-family-pack

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If you have any questions let us know.

 

family pack

if you remove some one from the family pack are you able to add them back in the family pack because i cant play halo2 pc online because of the family pack

 

The Family Gold program was ended almost a year ago now. I was a little upset when it happened because they did it a week before I was about to add the program to my family.

However, there is a way to save money.

If you were thinking about getting an Xbox One they are dropping in price in June to $399 and will be sold without a Kinect sensor which would be able to be purchased separately in the fall.

On the Xbox One there is a built in family plan. Only one person on the console will need to have a membership and can then share it out to all family members on the Xbox One. That means that all multiplayer games on the Xbox One console can be played
by all members of the family.

 

I know all that, but I do not have an xbox One, nor will I be getting one in the near future. And we still have two xbox 360s in the house and four people using them, which worked beautifully with the family pack but really doesn't work for us now.

So we're still being scr***ed.

Anyway, thanks for the reply!

DC

 

Me too. I don't plan on getting the xbox one. 1) can't play my old games on it and 2) only one game I've seen that I want and it will play on the 360. If it wouldn't, I still wouldn't pick up the xbox one for a single game.

We also have 2 xbox 360's. My husband and I both use our 360 and I wanted to get the family plan for us but nope, not going to happen.

My son-in-law wants us to get a PS4 when we finally buy a new system and we'll probably do that. Too bad. I love my original xbox and my 360.

 

FYI the PS4 requires a PS plus membership to play online and you would have to buy one for each PSN ID that wants to play online.