Australia may not allow adults to access adult games, but at least we’re not New Zealand. There, kids can’t even access G-rated games, demos and other downloadable content on Xbox Live.
After the recent Xbox Live update, some New Zealand gamers discovered they could no longer download content from Xbox Live Marketplace. But that was OK, we all had problems.
Unfortunately those problems have continued for certain New Zealand Xbox Live users, specifically those with child accounts. Weeks later, a thread on the NZ Xbox.com forums is full of people unable to access any Marketplace content because their Live accounts are marked “child”.
The Microsoft Help and Support page verifies the problem exists, labelling it with the error code “80153065″:
Symptoms: When you try to download content from the Xbox LIVE Marketplace, you receive the following error message:
Can’t retrieve information from Xbox LIVE. Please try again later.
Status code: 80153065Cause: This problem may occur if you use an Xbox LIVE Child Account, and if your account region is set to New Zealand. If the regional requirements are set to New Zealand, Xbox LIVE does not allow Child Accounts to download content. This is true regardless of the settings for content rating or for parental control.
Forum posters have reported varying explanations from Microsoft customer support – anything from a technical issue to Microsoft being forced into the action by the New Zealand government. Some have also claimed Microsoft has been unable to reimburse them for previously purchased or redeemed Microsoft Points left sitting in child accounts.
On Sunday, NZ Xbox.com moderator “Teljam” posted to say he had spoken to Microsoft New Zealand about the issue and “yes they are working on it”, before locking the thread. The thread has now been unlocked.
We’ve contacted Microsoft for comment. Meanwhile, any Kiwi readers out there, feel free to relate your experiences in the comments.
[Thanks Josh S]
Denaz
July 16, 2009 at 1:36 PM
Man MS really need to get the s*** together
Report PermalinkUnreal
July 16, 2009 at 2:16 PM
I’ve been dealing with this for a month now. I’m glad its being published on the net… microsoft has been a complete B**** and hasnt released anything about this. SCREW YOU MICROSOFT!!!!!
Report PermalinkDavid Wildgoose
July 16, 2009 at 2:23 PM
Will let you know as soon as I get a comment from Microsoft.
Report PermalinkReece
July 17, 2009 at 9:01 AM
Luckily for me I had just turned 18 before this happened. I had the problem for a few weeks and I saw Promote Child Account was in Account Info so I did all that stuff and problem gone. Sucks for the little kids!
Report Permalinkjayden downes
July 19, 2009 at 12:21 PM
well i live in new zealand i am 13 and my parents just paid 80 bucks for something i pretty much cant use its just not right its like gettin 80$ and burnin it basicly so whats the deal then
Report Permalinkmikezombie777
July 16, 2009 at 2:44 PM
What’s the big fucking deal? Just create a new gamertag and use a false birth date. You can still use your old tag but the new one can be there when ever you need to download something.
Cry more.
Report PermalinkDavid Wildgoose
July 16, 2009 at 2:51 PM
Hard day, Mike?
Report PermalinkRich Woodall
July 16, 2009 at 5:05 PM
Maybe you could get your mummy or daddy to set up an accountsy wountsy for you little bubbas to access DLC? Cry me a F@*king river, kids.
Report PermalinkBruce D.
July 16, 2009 at 6:24 PM
Come say that to my face richie, some people have actual circumstances for keeping with their original account
Report Permalinkkato
July 17, 2009 at 1:09 PM
Where’s your empathy – Dick?
Report PermalinkAndrew Brown
July 16, 2009 at 6:09 PM
I live in AUs and I have 4 fucking unusable xbox orginal games that I’ve paid for after BUYING a new xbox HDD – I’m waiting for a day off so that I can try to get it going again/contact Microsoft
Report PermalinkJimmy Boy 117
July 17, 2009 at 2:03 AM
Just a wee side note – the Halo DLC is Gamertag-specific, so making another GT and using THAT to download wouldn’t work in all cases. Guess that blows your eloquently-put suggestion out of the water, doesn’t it Rich? Or should that be Dick. I’m experiencing this problem myself, and I think one of the main issues here is that Microsoft gave no warning. If you’re interested, check the linked thread. Covers pretty much everything we’ve been told.
Report PermalinkSinful Malice
July 17, 2009 at 9:37 PM
Of course, if you’re over 18, you won’t have any (or much) empathy to those who are affected by this.
Mike, not everyone is a lying brat. You can do that if you want, if you honestly believe honesty is to be punished, and liars will always have the upper hand.
This is so typical of the NZ authorities. I just bought 1k points, the day before I found out about this. Been waiting 2 weeks to use them. If I had known this was going to happen, I would most definitely not have gotten my hopes up and bought those damn points.
Report Permalinkbober999
July 18, 2009 at 10:35 AM
Omg this problems affecting me and I’m in Australia but I made my account with a NZ hotmail account.
Report PermalinkXBOX STOP THIS
July 19, 2009 at 5:44 PM
THIS IS FUCKING BULL SHIT…. FUCK YOU I WANT TO PLAY MAP PACK 2…. FIX IT….WE ARE ALL COMPLAINING TO FAIR GO…..HELP US OUT
Report PermalinkSinful Malice
July 19, 2009 at 6:30 PM
Calm down mate. Most of us understand your frustration, but letting your temper get out of hand like that isn’t going to make things any better, or help your (our) case at all.
Acting like that will show your childishness, and make people more reluctant to help and sympathise with you.
Just keep it cool ;)
Report PermalinkUnreal
July 22, 2009 at 6:18 AM
Fair Go is running a story on this soon guys. Feel free to email them your experiences.
Report PermalinkCyrus010102
July 25, 2009 at 3:31 PM
it wont work for me waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa microsoft sucks bs SEREW YOU MICROSOFT
Report PermalinkRyan
July 26, 2009 at 12:47 PM
im 12 years old and have spent money on my account so i can download original and arcade games but microsoft has now banned kids to let us download stuff i tried creating a new acc on my xbox and lied about my age and it still wont let me.
Report PermalinkMicrosoft is racist and they are ageist why just ban kiwi kids and why not austrailians or americans.
F#!k you microsoft!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Chase
August 4, 2009 at 9:27 PM
I have been debating with microsoft about this issue for the last month i was on the phone with one of the guys at the microsft head building in new zealand, i put across many, many facts all the guy had to say was that he was sorry and that there actions were in the best intentions it was meant to be that users could not download unless you were that age i.g. u had to be 13 for r 13 and r16 and r18 for thise contents microsoft new zealand said to me that they cannot say what is mature and what r rated…… what a load of bull.. the ratings are on the content man. the guy had no information on technical help. he was quite helpless. im waiting for a call back tomorrow from one of there head technicians. im also going to seek legal advise from a lawyer to see what further actions i can take.
Report PermalinkCameron
October 16, 2009 at 1:20 PM
The thing that really pisses me off is the fact that I cannot download my DLC off my redeem code. My code expires soon and I can’t be fucked making a new account. They better replace my code when it expires or I am going to complain until they do. Fuck you Microsoft I’m going to play my PS2.
Report PermalinkJosh
November 8, 2009 at 8:11 PM
man i find this unfair they just cut nz kid out of the loop if you ask me Microsoft should let kids down load but only stuff you age reaches like if your
Report Permalinkunder 12 you can only down load G & pg
13-15 G PG r13 m15
16-17 G PG R13 m TO R16
18 g pg m r13 r16 to r18
Andrew
June 18, 2010 at 3:38 AM
Um, want to see if can bring this up again.
Report PermalinkProbs started in July 2009.
It is now June 2010.
A full year has passed, and i can still not know wither or not this was purposefull or an accident.
Seems like there either was probs and they never fixed it, or they want to an under 18 year olds from live stuff.
rainyfire
January 4, 2011 at 11:27 PM
i like it how i can drive a car and kill someone but i f**in download G content on xbox live omg a year has passed and i am so sick of this s*** !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! >=()
Report PermalinkAegis27
November 2, 2011 at 2:41 PM
This is getting ridicules Microsoft. I am 16 and legally bought a R16 game (battlefield 3) with my own money, but I can’t play it online because it would involve a 100kb download of a pass that would allow me to do so. By Microsoft doing this, 80% of my $100 game is completely useless, and there’s nothing anyone can do about it. Bullshit. If anyone has got the email of anyone high in the Microsoft chain of command, email me and I will get this mess sorted out.
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