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Microsoft Gives Free Games to Owners of Faulty Xbox Ones

This article is over 11 years old and may contain outdated information
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Microsoft’s next-gen console didn’t have a perfect launch, but anyone who received defective hardware can expect a replacement and a complimentary game of their choice.

For some Xbox fans, the Xbox One launch became very disappointing when they unboxed the console and discovered that it wouldn’t play games. A number of customers reported that the system’s disc drive was defective, and couldn’t be used to play games. It happens – the first batch of new hardware is always risky – and those customers are waiting for a replacement unit from Microsoft. However, as an apology, Microsoft is also granting anyone with a faulty console a free Xbox One game from a selection of downloadable titles.

Customers with bad hardware can choose between Dead Rising 3, Forza Motorsport 5, Ryse: Son of Rome, or Zoo Tycoon. The game is provided as a free digital download, so if the customer uses Microsoft’s Advance Exchange program (where they can keep the old console until the replacement unit arrives), they can download and play the complimentary game even without a functioning disc drive.

“While a replacement console is on its way, we want to ensure our advance exchange customers can stay in the game,” says a statement from Microsoft. “We will provide each of them with a free digital download of one of the launch titles published by Microsoft Studios.”

The digital handouts are a nifty way to circumvent this particular hardware error while giving unlucky customers something to do with their console while they wait for the replacement – one more perk of living in the future.

Source: Polygon

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