Xbox Digital Return Policy Discussion

a27cd1 · Apr 25, 2019

With Microsoft releasing the Xbox One S Digital Version (no disc drive) I got me to thinking about how the current return policy really isn't ideal for our gaming future. Whether you like it or not, the future is coming and its in the form of digitally
downloaded games. I personally like digital games as I do not have to worry about the disc, carrying the game with me to a friend, and the convince of buying them from home on off the app. However, I still buy games on disc if it is a game I am not sure I
will like or want to keep.

With the current return policy Microsoft has in place it is pretty hard to buy a game and return it. The return system isn't really set up for people who want to try a game and see if they like it. Even though the return criteria's are, "Less than 14
days and under 2 hours of gameplay," there is still the lines we all have come to know, "All digital sales are final." The fact is if you do try a game and you meet the criteria for a return you still have to make a
request. So essentially the return is not guaranteed even having met the requirements.

That being said, I personally feel that the return policy need to change and find a balance that allows people to try a game and return it without taking advantage of the system. With digital gaming around the corner its a change that is going to be
needed or people will be complaining or just buying less games.

Anyone else have any thoughts?

:)

ngocphi

Why would therr be a tradein on digital content

Given how unpopular that idea was and the 300k bloggers who costed phil harrison his job

The ORIGINAL xbox one idea was you buy your disk install it and never use the disk again with 24hiur checkin

It even allowed yoi to lend your friend a game withoutnleaving your couchnfor 48 hours and even sell your game and transfer it

However bloggers feared change and the 24hour checkin and signed the 300k xbox fans petition

Phil harrison resigned and we have the current home console

LegoNinja187

You made some really good points there, hopefully they will be addressed by Xbox.

I haven't purchased any games since I got FH4 at launch.

F5 Penguin

This is a fine return policy. No need to reinvent the wheel. Steam does it the same way and has been able to work successfully without issue. 2 hours is long enough to decide if you like the game.

Koods

For what it's worth having worked in a games store for a long time, we rarely returned games that had been played knowing full well the law was on our side - it was down to the individual user to make sure they weren't buying a turkey!

From a consumer stand point it's why I rarely buy digital product, I also doubt that we're headed for a situation where the "next" Xbox/PS releases without a disc drive at least at launch. Given the push back that Xbox faced last time round that sort of
a device is likely to prove unpopular as the ONLY way to buy the machine, especially in areas where internet connections are at best spotty, parts of my local area barely get 2mb, let alone fast enough speeds to download 50+gb!

IRB

The return policy isn't meant for playing game trials to test out if you like it. There should be an actual trial version of the game for that, although developers have lacked in that department lately.

If you buy a digital album for example bet you can return it after a few hours saying you don't like it.

Xbox Digital Return Policy Discussion