Xbox 360 Live Overwhelmed by Demand
Microsoft gave its critics more ammunition this week as download problems struck its
Xbox 360 Live service, grinding portions of the service to a halt yet still charging users for downloads they never received.
On Wednesday, Microsoft launched a new Xbox service that lets users of Xbox 360 Live download TV shows and films, many in high definition. The service boasts content from Warner Brothers, Ultimate Fighting Championship, Turner Broadcasting, Paramount, MTV, and CBS, with more content to be released weekly.
But the new service tanked when users reported widespread problems with the downloads, complaining of wait times in excess of four hours or downloads that stopped cold in the middle of transmission. What's more, their accounts were charged as if the downloads went off without a hitch.