Mom asks Microsoft for forgiveness over son's $1700 XBL shopping spree

[WV]

Mom asks Microsoft for forgiveness over son's $1700 XBL shopping spree

http://www.gamesradar.com/xbox360/xbox-360/news/mom-asks-microsoft-for-forgiveness-over-sons-1700-xbl-shopping-spree/a-201102081371958092/g-20060321132945404017
http://static.gamesradar.com/images/mb/GamesRadar/us/Daily/2011/02-Feb/08/Huge%20XBL%20bill/huge-xbl-bill--article_image.jpg
How do you even buy that much XBL content?
Words: Mark Raby, GamesRadar US
We all make a few bad choices when we're kids, but Brendan Jordan's bad choices have left his mom with one hefty Xbox Live bill. After he racked up £1082.52 (about $1,700 USD) in XBL charges over the course of several months, his mother is asking Microsoft to help reverse some of the damage.

Dawn Matthews, the mother in question, works two jobs, and hence isn't able to supervise her son constantly. Apparently she didn't realize that her credit card information would be stored after purchasing her son's Xbox Live Gold account.

"I thought it was just for his membership to play online with his friends," she said. "When I showed him [the bill] he burst into tears. He unplugged the Xbox and said he didn't want it anymore."

Matthews is trying to make the case that Microsoft doesn't offer enough protection for children capable of racking up charges with abandon. The console does have parental controls and requires an authorized account to log in before a purchase is made, which Microsoft has pointed out. That's not enough, according to Matthews.

"When he is in gaming mode he can’t be thinking about the money. You can’t put all that responsibility on a young boy," she said, adding, "It is impossible to monitor everything your children do. These companies should take some responsibility. They take advantage of vulnerable people."

What do you think? Should Microsoft reverse the charges, or is the responsibility for Brendan's actions on him and his mom? And did he really not know what he was doing when he approved purchases for 126,364 Microsoft Points?
--------------------------------------------------

What is it with these people that think they can let video games and TV babysit their kids and then the be surprised when they do something stupid. Now Microsoft is supposed to feel sorry for them and help them? What a crock.

[Pestilence]

How old is this kid?

[WV]

How old is this kid?

Included the picture....old enough to know better.

[WV]

Maybe Mommy can trade off some services with what looks like a fake rack.

[Fish]

Dear Microsoft,

I use your product as a babysitter. But I guess I didn't realize the potential cost associated with that. Can you remove that charge that resulted from my poor decision making and lack of understanding of what my child does with his time?

Sincerely,

Terrible Mother

[kepp]

Bendan got smacked

[Pestilence]

Included the picture....old enough to know better.

I'm at work and the link is blocked.

[cabletech94]

i'd be willing to bet that mom is too poor to afford a superklips visit for her little heathen.

[Pants]

How do you spend $1700 on XBL? Is that even possible? Buy every Arcade game? LOL

[Cave Johnson]

Taking the counterpoint, the use of points rather than indicating actual prices of downloadable content is arguable confusing/deceptive.

In this case, however, I'm sure the fatty knew what he was doing.

[Discuss Thrower]

If it weren't for the fact I'm fairly certain that XBL has a way to block purchases I'd feel sorry for the broad.

[Lzen]

I think you all are being a little hard on the mother. But she should have checked her credit card bill a little more often than once every 6 months.

I agree that it is too easy to accidentally have your CC info stored and kids buy stuff. $1700? That's nuts.

[blaise]

Over the course of several months? You may want to check your statements.

Sounds like junior better get a job.

[Cave Johnson]

How do you spend $1700 on XBL? Is that even possible? Buy every Arcade game? LOL

Movies, music videos, full downloadable games.

[Pants]

M$ is double fucked on this one. If they don't refund some of the money back, they get more bad publicity. If they do refund some of it, they're setting a dangerous precedent.

[loochy]

M$ is double fucked on this one. If they don't refund some of the money back, they get more bad publicity. If they do refund some of it, they're setting a dangerous precedent.

I take the negative publicity. F refunding money...be responsible for your kid.

[Pestilence]

I take the negative publicity. F refunding money...be responsible for your kid.

This.

Sorry....but she owes the money.

This is why when you need to buy subscriptions to Xbox Live.....you buy the pre-paid cards at the store.

[Short Leash Hootie]

I think it's bullshit that M$ EVER stores your credit card...

you buy a 1 month and they AUTOMATICALLY auto-renew it...you have to call and cancel if you want it cancelled...

that should NEVER HAPPEN...if I buy something I don't want auto-renew...and there is no option to NOT have auto-renew...

they charge, charge, charge and store your CC#...

I think the mom has a point...a stupid son...but a point.

[CHENZ A!]

That kid is really weird looking!
Posted via Mobile Device

[Donger]

Twenty bucks says that kid is British.

[Pants]

I think it's bullshit that M$ EVER stores your credit card...

you buy a 1 month and they AUTOMATICALLY auto-renew it...you have to call and cancel if you want it cancelled...

that should NEVER HAPPEN...if I buy something I don't want auto-renew...and there is no option to NOT have auto-renew...

they charge, charge, charge and store your CC#...

I think the mom has a point...a stupid son...but a point.

Yeah, and it's really hard to have your CC removed, too. I called them once and was on hold for literally 45 minutes before I hung up. Called the next day and was lucky enough they picked up after only 18 minutes on hold. I renewed XBL for $39.99 and decided I'll see if it's easier a year from now. :)

[Bob Dole]

Bob Dole assumes there's some government program in the works that will pay for that for everyone...

[Short Leash Hootie]

just so you guys know

this is the equivalent of your kid stealing your CC and making a huge purchase on Amazon or something...

hard to blame the mom here...even if she is using the XBox as a babysitter like someone suggested.

[loochy]

just so you guys know

this is the equivalent of your kid stealing your CC and making a huge purchase on Amazon or something...

hard to blame the mom here...even if she is using the XBox as a babysitter like someone suggested.

Send the kid to jail for theft? Someone owes the money to Microsoft.

[Short Leash Hootie]

Yeah, and it's really hard to have your CC removed, too. I called them once and was on hold for literally 45 minutes before I hung up. Called the next day and was lucky enough they picked up after only 18 minutes on hold. I renewed XBL for $39.99 and decided I'll see if it's easier a year from now. :)

my account ran out and I ordered a 12 month card online (cheaper) but wanted to play in the mean time so bought a 1 month (9.99) that will auto-renew every month after my 12 month expires once I put the code in...

it's just greed...plain and simple.

they make SO MUCH MONEY on dead accounts that people aren't even realizing they are being charged for...as if they don't make enough money

a gold account is easily worth $50 a year with all of the stuff you can do but I don't like the shady practices that occur...I'm not surprised by this story at all...

Dipshit kid making a dipshit mistake and I think M$ should refund at least half of the $$$ ... or stop storing your damn credit card on your XBL account.

[Pants]

my account ran out and I ordered a 12 month card online (cheaper) but wanted to play in the mean time so bought a 1 month (9.99) that will auto-renew every month after my 12 month expires once I put the code in...

it's just greed...plain and simple.

they make SO MUCH MONEY on dead accounts that people aren't even realizing they are being charged for...as if they don't make enough money

a gold account is easily worth $50 a year with all of the stuff you can do but I don't like the shady practices that occur...I'm not surprised by this story at all...

Dipshit kid making a dipshit mistake and I think M$ should refund at least half of the $$$ ... or stop storing your damn credit card on your XBL account.

No doubt. I heard if you want to cancel your CC, you have to wait 30 days after your initial call and only then can you remove the card. M$ has always been shady as fuck with their XBL subscription practices.

[Short Leash Hootie]

Send the kid to jail for theft? Someone owes the money to Microsoft.

M$ should stop storing your card automatically...

or maybe they should make you enter your CVC# to make a purchase (something they don't do)...

the kid's mom bought a Gold account...and I highly doubt she knew her card would be stored online...and even if she did...I bet she figured they'd need her "signature" to make further purchases (entering your CVC# each time a purchase is made) something, again, M$ doesn't make you do (you have to do it every time you make an online purchase on Amazon or Newegg)...

M$ knows the majority of their users are kids...they ENCOURAGE this spending...I guarantee it...and do nothing to protect anyone against it.

I'm sorry dude, you can keep playing devil's advocate...doesn't mean you're right.

If they required a pass code or CVC# I'd be with you...but they don't. They encourage this bullshit. Most kids are smart enough not to spend $1700 but I know other kids get away with $25 here and $25 there without their parents noticing.

[Bob Dole]

Dipshit kid making a dipshit mistake and I think M$ should refund at least half of the $$$ ... or stop storing your damn credit card on your XBL account.

Maybe dipshit mom wouldn't have to work two jobs if she stopped buying dipshit toys she can't really afford.

[Cave Johnson]

Twenty bucks says that kid is British.

What was your first clue, the pasty unattractiveness or the £ sign in the OP?

[Donger]

What was your first clue, the pasty unattractiveness or the £ sign in the OP?

Actually, two things: the wallpaper and the mother's eyes.

[Donger]

Heh. The boy looks like the fat kid from Better Off Dead. What was the character's name, Ricky?

[Short Leash Hootie]

Maybe dipshit mom wouldn't have to work two jobs if she stopped buying dipshit toys she can't really afford.

they are probably both dipshits

but do you think it's right M$ stores your card and doesn't require a pass code or CVC# to make further purchases?

you have to enter your CVC every time you make a purchase on Amazon, Newegg, Tiger Direct, etc...

but on XBox, a console used primarily by children, they'll store your CC# and then let you make any purchase you want on a stored card without hesitation...

that seems ok to you?

they do it for one reason...because they know this is inevitable...and will happen $10 at a time...many, many times...

they don't ask for a CVC# because they know they'd see a rapid decline in revenue from XBL...because they know 80% of their revenue is from minors...and they know these minors are using their parents CC's without authorization much of the time.

[loochy]

they are probably both dipshits

but do you think it's right M$ stores your card and doesn't require a pass code or CVC# to make further purchases?

you have to enter your CVC every time you make a purchase on Amazon, Newegg, Tiger Direct, etc...

but on XBox, a console used primarily by children, they'll store your CC# and then let you make any purchase you want on a stored card without hesitation...

that seems ok to you?

they do it for one reason...because they know this is inevitable...and will happen $10 at a time...many, many times...

they don't ask for a CVC# because they know they'd see a rapid decline in revenue from XBL...because they know 80% of their revenue is from minors...and they know these minors are using their parents CC's without authorization much of the time.

This seems like an exceedingly simple problem to stop.

[Pants]

This seems like an exceedingly simple problem to stop.

It really isn't, though. Read my post above, lol.

[Pestilence]

they are probably both dipshits

but do you think it's right M$ stores your card and doesn't require a pass code or CVC# to make further purchases?

you have to enter your CVC every time you make a purchase on Amazon, Newegg, Tiger Direct, etc...

but on XBox, a console used primarily by children, they'll store your CC# and then let you make any purchase you want on a stored card without hesitation...

that seems ok to you?

they do it for one reason...because they know this is inevitable...and will happen $10 at a time...many, many times...

they don't ask for a CVC# because they know they'd see a rapid decline in revenue from XBL...because they know 80% of their revenue is from minors...and they know these minors are using their parents CC's without authorization much of the time.

If you can't trust your kids not to charge anything.....than go get a pre-paid credit card and use that to purchase the subscription. That way if they try and charge anything you don't know about....it will get denied.

[Fat Elvis]

This isn't the first time this has happened; MS needs to change the way that XBL purchases are made; CC info needs to be entered everytime a purchase is made and not store that info so a kid can use it indiscriminately. Using points instead of dollars (or pounds or whatever) also takes a level of reality out of the purchasing process for the kid(s).

I also don't think kids that age have a good grasp on how much money that really is, especially for a single mother. I have a couple of kids, one of which is the same age as that kid, and I guarantee you that she does not comprehend how much money that is- that doesn't mean that I am a bad parent, and it doesn't mean she is a stupid kid. It just isn't a sum of money that really registers and has a level of reality for her. She gets $20/month allowance and so she knows how hard it is for her to save up $100 (she has, and she uses her money on things she knows we won't buy for her).

The jump from $100-$1000 (or more) is quite a conceptual leap for a kid. I mean, our kids regularly see us spend more than $100/trip to the grocery store and so they can conceptualize that $1,000 is ten trips to the grocery store. We need food so they see that all the time. The disconnect occurs because they haven't quite realized that ten trips to the grocery store is a whole lot different than having an extra grand laying around. It is a cognitive maturation process.

Do I blame the mother? Not really. We're talking about a single mother with a 12 year old. I know a lot of single mom's who can't afford child care, especially when the kid is really no danger hanging out at home. I know a lot of married parents who work and let their 12 year old kids stay at home. My neighbor is an example, and the mother is an early childhood specialist. Heck, most people think 12 years old is an appropriate age to let kids start babysitting. If a kid is old enough to babysit, they should be old enough to be at home by themselves, don't you think?

This falls squarely on MS as far as I'm concerned. They've had this problem before and they need to rectify they way that you purchase XBL material. They purposely make it extremely easy to purchase stuff; it increases their bottom line. This mother just happened to call shenanigans on them.

[loochy]

It really isn't, though. Read my post above, lol.

I meant in the first place.

[Short Leash Hootie]

If you can't trust your kids not to charge anything.....than go get a pre-paid credit card and use that to purchase the subscription. That way if they try and charge anything you don't know about....it will get denied.

this isn't the point guy

99% of the parents who are buying this stuff for their kids have no idea their cards are being stored and can be used again (without a "signature")...

and M$ does that for ONE REASON

try and keep up

and your far behind here anyways

someone already suggested parents should be buying the hard cards at stores to avoid having their CC on these accounts...

M$ only stores your card online because they encourage unauthorized spending and being able to auto-renew your account on a month-month or year-year basis...

[Pestilence]

FWIW......The Playstation Network makes you add "funds" to your account before you can purchase anything. To add funds....you have to input your credit card information.

[Pestilence]

this isn't the point guy

99% of the parents who are buying this stuff for their kids have no idea their cards are being stored and can be used again (without a "signature")...

and M$ does that for ONE REASON

try and keep up

and your far behind here anyways

someone already suggested parents should be buying the hard cards at stores to avoid having their CC on these accounts...

M$ only stores your card online because they encourage unauthorized spending and being able to auto-renew your account on a month-month or year-year basis...

Try and keep up.....that was me.

[Short Leash Hootie]

Try and keep up.....that was me.

well there you go

stop being a dildo and making the same point twice

[Pestilence]

well there you go

stop being a dildo and making the same point twice

Not the same point. It's two different options for people who don't want to input their credit card information. I had an Xbox for 3 years and never once inputted my credit card information into it.

[Short Leash Hootie]

they let you easily buy anything you want on XBL without verifying you're the CC owner...

but they don't have a simple "remove card" option...

yeah...

M$ rules!

and PS3 sucks so I don't care how "honest" they are...I'll keep playing XBL and also keep bitching about their shady ways.

[loochy]

they let you easily buy anything you want on XBL without verifying you're the CC owner...

but they don't have a simple "remove card" option...

yeah...

M$ rules!

and PS3 sucks so I don't care how "honest" they are...I'll keep playing XBL and also keep bitching about their shady ways.

Just don't have a child. He will undoubtedly buy thousands of dollars worth or stuff.

[Pants]

Not the same point. It's two different options for people who don't want to input their credit card information. I had an Xbox for 3 years and never once inputted my credit card information into it.

You never got any arcade games?

[kepp]

FWIW......The Playstation Network makes you add "funds" to your account before you can purchase anything. To add funds....you have to input your credit card information.

But they do store your CC info and, if you do that, you don't have to enter the CVV2 again. I do think it's better than the way MS does it though.

[Short Leash Hootie]

Not the same point. It's two different options for people who don't want to input their credit card information. I had an Xbox for 3 years and never once inputted my credit card information into it.

and you're an adult who happens to be a gamer

when I was a kid my mom gave me her CC# one time and she was always pissed off at me every year when I'd buy a 5 pack of fantasy teams on ESPN...

I didn't give a shit...what was she going to do? Kick me to the curb???

Kids are kids...

M$ makes it even easier to be a degenerate kid like I was...

[Pestilence]

You never got any arcade games?

Nope.

[Short Leash Hootie]

difference between being an adult gamer and being able to make adult decisions with your stored card...

although there are a # of stories of dumbass Halo players selling their 50s and forgetting they had stored credit cards on there and having the people who they sold their accounts to racking up 1,000s in charges on their CC's before they realized it...

but I'm pretty sure they can always recover those funds.

[Pestilence]

and you're an adult who happens to be a gamer

when I was a kid my mom gave me her CC# one time and she was always pissed off at me every year when I'd buy a 5 pack of fantasy teams on ESPN...

I didn't give a shit...what was she going to do? Kick me to the curb???

Kids are kids...

M$ makes it even easier to be a degenerate kid like I was...

I'm not disputing the fact that M$ makes it easy for this to happen. I just don't see them changing the way they do things. Why the fuck would they? Look at all the bad press they got from the RROD. They could give two shits what people think about them....because people are still going to buy their shit.

[Pants]

Nope.

That's cool. You did under-utilize the Xbox, though.

[Short Leash Hootie]

and you'd think with all of those stories of fraud M$ would change their policies and require a CVV2 but nope...they don't

they'll reimburse all of those fraudulent purchases because they know that's a simple write off for all of the $$$ they make that doesn't get reimbursed that they wouldn't make if they required a CVV2

[Short Leash Hootie]

....because people are still going to buy their shit.

well they have the best product, with the best games...

so yeah

[Pestilence]

That's cool. You did under-utilize the Xbox, though.

I just never got into them. Anytime I wanted downloadable content for games though....I would just go out and buy points cards. It was just easier for me that way.

[Pants]

and you'd think with all of those stories of fraud M$ would change their policies and require a CVV2 but nope...they don't

they'll reimburse all of those fraudulent purchases because they know that's a simple write off for all of the $$$ they make that doesn't get reimbursed that they wouldn't make if they required a CVV2

Not only that, they just recently made it harder to turn the auto-renew off as well as making it a chore beyond fucking chores to remove your CC from their file. LMAO

M$ doesn't play around. The shittiest customer service + shady policies = more money for them.

[Short Leash Hootie]

one time I thought I was really smart and I stored a 12 month at Wal Mart in my cell phone and tried to activate it when I got home (without buying the card)...

yeah bad idea

those things only work after you purchase them at the register lol

[Pestilence]

one time I thought I was really smart and I stored a 12 month at Wal Mart in my cell phone and tried to activate it when I got home (without buying the card)...

yeah bad idea

those things only work after you purchase them at the register lol

How long ago was this?

[Donger]

Fascinating discussion. I understand every word, but have no idea what you are specifically talking about.

[Short Leash Hootie]

How long ago was this?

2 maybe 3 years ago

[patteeu]

This isn't the first time this has happened; MS needs to change the way that XBL purchases are made; CC info needs to be entered everytime a purchase is made and not store that info so a kid can use it indiscriminately. Using points instead of dollars (or pounds or whatever) also takes a level of reality out of the purchasing process for the kid(s).

I also don't think kids that age have a good grasp on how much money that really is, especially for a single mother. I have a couple of kids, one of which is the same age as that kid, and I guarantee you that she does not comprehend how much money that is- that doesn't mean that I am a bad parent, and it doesn't mean she is a stupid kid. It just isn't a sum of money that really registers and has a level of reality for her. She gets $20/month allowance and so she knows how hard it is for her to save up $100 (she has, and she uses her money on things she knows we won't buy for her).

The jump from $100-$1000 (or more) is quite a conceptual leap for a kid. I mean, our kids regularly see us spend more than $100/trip to the grocery store and so they can conceptualize that $1,000 is ten trips to the grocery store. We need food so they see that all the time. The disconnect occurs because they haven't quite realized that ten trips to the grocery store is a whole lot different than having an extra grand laying around. It is a cognitive maturation process.

Do I blame the mother? Not really. We're talking about a single mother with a 12 year old. I know a lot of single mom's who can't afford child care, especially when the kid is really no danger hanging out at home. I know a lot of married parents who work and let their 12 year old kids stay at home. My neighbor is an example, and the mother is an early childhood specialist. Heck, most people think 12 years old is an appropriate age to let kids start babysitting. If a kid is old enough to babysit, they should be old enough to be at home by themselves, don't you think?

This falls squarely on MS as far as I'm concerned. They've had this problem before and they need to rectify they way that you purchase XBL material. They purposely make it extremely easy to purchase stuff; it increases their bottom line. This mother just happened to call shenanigans on them.

I'm surprised you haven't taken any flak for this yet, but I do agree with you (with the caveat that I don't have any personal experience with XBL so I don't know how easy/obvious the parental controls are or how much warning this woman should have had that her credit card info was available for the son's use any time he felt the urge to download additional content).

I was helping my mom with her new ipad the other day and I was showing her where you could buy books for the iBook reader. It's been my experience on my iPhone with Apple's iTunes store that when I click on an app or a song I want to buy, it always prompts me for my apple ID and password so I assumed that it was going to work the same way on her iPad. As I was telling her this, I clicked on the "buy" button for a book and instead of prompting me for my ID/password as I expected, it immediately started downloading. Luckily, it was a cheap book ($3) and it was something she was interested in reading anyway so it was no big deal, but it just goes to show that these processes aren't always transparently obvious even for people who have experience using them.

[Lzen]

Not only that, they just recently made it harder to turn the auto-renew off as well as making it a chore beyond ****ing chores to remove your CC from their file. LMAO

M$ doesn't play around. The shittiest customer service + shady policies = more money for them.

This. I have run into this very thing. :cuss:

Never thought I'd say this but Hootie is absolutely correct on this issue.

[Lzen]

Fascinating discussion. I understand every word, but have no idea what you are specifically talking about.

Tell us which part do you need specifics and we'll try to explain more in detail.

[Donger]

Tell us which part do you need specifics and we'll try to explain more in detail.

I wasn't aware that one could enter CC information into a gaming system, let alone purchase games over the machine.

That's pretty much it.

[Lzen]

I wasn't aware that one could enter CC information into a gaming system, let alone purchase games over the machine.

That's pretty much it.

Xbox Live is their online gaming system. And yes, you can purchase games or extra content for existing game, music, tv, etc. Welcome to the future. ;)

A couple examples for ya.
- I like the game Rock Band. I have purchased a lot of extra songs (or song packs) that didn't come on the original game disc that I bought at the store.

- I have purchased things for my NCAA football game, as well. Things such as Recruit adviser (which helps you pull in recruits you may not have added to your list and opens up some of the interest) or the ability to be the commissioner of multiple dynasties (instead of the default 1 dynasty).

[Pants]

I wasn't aware that one could enter CC information into a gaming system, let alone purchase games over the machine.

That's pretty much it.

It's incredible, Donger! You can even use those machines to connect to the Internet and watch Netflix (a video on demand service) and ESPN and do all kind of other things. The future is now...

[loochy]

Fascinating discussion. I understand every word, but have no idea what you are specifically talking about.

Your ways frighten and confuse me.

/Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer

[Donger]

Xbox Live is their online gaming system. And yes, you can purchase games or extra content for existing game, music, tv, etc. Welcome to the future. ;)

Interesting.

You need to fix your sig, BTW.

[Valiant]

one time I thought I was really smart and I stored a 12 month at Wal Mart in my cell phone and tried to activate it when I got home (without buying the card)...

yeah bad idea

those things only work after you purchase them at the register lol

So ms being somewhat deceptive is bad? But you being deceptive is okay?

Personally I don't have a problem with ms practices because I do not use my cc on there. I buy cards online at a discount.

As for live users being mostly children, is there evidence somewhere or just from your experience during game interaction? Cause most people I see in games are 20plus.

[Donger]

It's incredible, Donger! You can even use those machines to connect to the Internet and watch Netflix (a video on demand service) and ESPN and do all kind of other things. The future is now...

I'm still figuring out my Dish DVR, whipper snapper. I am thinking about getting a "Blu Ray" machine, though.

[Iowanian]

Her second letter to Microsoft is rumored to contain the line "back off, Bill Gates, My son is a Fifty at HALO...a 50!"

[Lzen]

Interesting.

You need to fix your sig, BTW.

I'm in at work mode. What exactly do you suggest fixing?


Edit that post, btw.

[loochy]

I'm in at work mode. What exactly do you suggest fixing?


Edit that post, btw.


Everyone needs believe in something. I believe I'll have another beer.
.

[Lzen]

So ms being somewhat deceptive is bad? But you being deceptive is okay?

Personally I don't have a problem with ms practices because I do not use my cc on there. I buy cards online at a discount.

As for live users being mostly children, is there evidence somewhere or just from your experience during game interaction? Cause most people I see in games are 20plus.

You have not run into kids or teens? I think there are just as many under 20s (if not more) as adults on XBL.

[Lzen]

.

Thanks. That's what I get for copying and pasting from a joke quote site. :doh!:

[stevieray]

He deserves an ass beating. bet it doesn't happen.

[Bugeater]

He deserves an ass beating. bet it doesn't happen.
Yes he does, but then the parent would be a criminal.

[Lzen]

He deserves an ass beating. bet it doesn't happen.

This is probably true. 12 year old should know better.

[Valiant]

You have not run into kids or teens? I think there are just as many under 20s (if not more) as adults on XBL.

not really. Majority of people that I play against end up being college kids.

That is why I find it strange he says mostly kids play live, I do not have that experience.

[Lzen]

not really. Majority of people that I play against end up being college kids.

That is why I find it strange he says mostly kids play live, I do not have that experience.

You must not play call of duty.

[asdf]

Hmmm... I just logged into my account via computer at xbox.com, and under manage payment options, was able to remove my stored credit card with a simple click. :/ Granted, it does expire this month, but they didn't require that I update or add a new one. Will try again after adding new card info later this month...

[Pants]

Hmmm... I just logged into my account via computer at xbox.com, and under manage payment options, was able to remove my stored credit card with a simple click. :/ Granted, it does expire this month, but they didn't require that I update or add a new one. Will try again after adding new card info later this month...

Huh, weird.

[Dave Lane]

Fry his ass! No mercy :)

[Ebolapox]

hmm, nice tits on that one. bet they taste like nipple.

bill gates: ...boy, your mama sure does love you to do that to get you off the hook

mongoloid: ...EEEEEHHHHHHHOOOOOWWWWAAAAA EEEEEHHHHOOOOWWWAAAA (/forrest gump)

[88TG88]

mongoloid: ...EEEEEHHHHHHHOOOOOWWWWAAAAA EEEEEHHHHOOOOWWWAAAA (/forrest gump)

ROFLROFL perfect description

[sedated]

hmm, nice tits on that one. bet they taste like nipple.

for those of us who have that site blocked as "gaming", could someone please post the pic?

[loochy]

for those of us who have that site blocked as "gaming", could someone please post the pic?

This

[Ebolapox]

only for great rep.

[loochy]

only for great rep.

Ooh those are nice. It's too bad that the son looks like a freakin' hobbit.

[Ebolapox]

Ooh those are nice. It's too bad that the son looks like a freakin' hobbit.

wonder how the ass looks.... HERS, DUMBASSES.

[Ebolapox]

she has two jobs: blow jobs and coitus? or, would a half and half be ONE job? prostitute/stripper? prostitute/escort? escort/stripper? ahh, life's great questions.

[sedated]

she looks like a royal b!tch

[Ebolapox]

she looks like a royal b!tch

well, she's doing a good job of raising her son to be a complete dipshit. wonder if she's good at giving head?

[loochy]

she looks like a royal b!tch

Yeah no kidding dude. Maybe I DO support the son's spending of her money.

[Mr. Plow]

I think it's bullshit that M$ EVER stores your credit card...

you buy a 1 month and they AUTOMATICALLY auto-renew it...you have to call and cancel if you want it cancelled...

that should NEVER HAPPEN...if I buy something I don't want auto-renew...and there is no option to NOT have auto-renew...

they charge, charge, charge and store your CC#...

I think the mom has a point...a stupid son...but a point.


I understand what you're saying, but MS isn't the only company that does this type of shit. There are thousands of companies out there hoping that you forget you are on auto renew.

[kcfanXIII]

He deserves an ass beating. bet it doesn't happen.

fear of my dad alone would have prevented me from being that stupid. I understand m$ is shady, and maybe she has a point, but I refuse to clear her and her son of all blame. Kid looks old enough to know better and parents shouldn't give access to their credit cards unless they are sure they are responsible enough to not click "ok" when it asks if you are sure you want to download content and deduct X amount of points. Then when there aren't enough points, it directs you to a screen to purchase points. It is obvious you are spending money... So basically I'm putting blame on the kid.

[ChiefsCountry]

not really. Majority of people that I play against end up being college kids.

That is why I find it strange he says mostly kids play live, I do not have that experience.

Average age for gaming is now 30, which makes since everyone from 1980 on down grew up playing video games.

[Short Leash Hootie]

Average age for gaming is now 30, which makes since everyone from 1980 on down grew up playing video games.

the AVERAGE AGE is 30?

I highly doubt that.

I'd believe 22 or 23...

Maybe the average age of everyone who plays video games (even if it's once a yaer) might be 30...

but the people doing the majority of the gaming are 12-21

[stevieray]

fear of my dad alone would have prevented me from being that stupid. I understand m$ is shady, and maybe she has a point, but I refuse to clear her and her son of all blame. Kid looks old enough to know better and parents shouldn't give access to their credit cards unless they are sure they are responsible enough to not click "ok" when it asks if you are sure you want to download content and deduct X amount of points. Then when there aren't enough points, it directs you to a screen to purchase points. It is obvious you are spending money... So basically I'm putting blame on the kid.

it's basically theft.

[ChiefsCountry]

the AVERAGE AGE is 30?

I highly doubt that.

I'd believe 22 or 23...

Maybe the average age of everyone who plays video games (even if it's once a yaer) might be 30...

but the people doing the majority of the gaming are 12-21

Actually it seems to have risen from this.
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2004-05-12-gamer-demographics_x.htm

http://www.theesa.com/facts/index.asp
http://www.npd.com/press/releases/press_100527b.html
http://www.thenewatlantis.com/publications/life-is-just-a-game

It makes more sense than you think. Most everybody from age 40 down now have grown up in a video game age.

[Steve Sewell]

Is this kid Bob/GoChiefs reincarnated?

[Bwana]

Dear Dawn:

<O:p<O:pThanks for your email!

After careful review, we have decided not to "give you a deal" on the services your son, Brendon used. The way we see it, this went on for SEVERAL months, hence, you received NUMEROUS credit card bills with the xbox charges on them, before deciding "you wanted a break."

We understand that everyone wants a break, but we can't go around offering our services "on the house." After all Mz Matthews, we here at Microsoft are not living on Fantasy Island! <O:p

If you can't afford to pay your bill, perhaps you can send young Brenden out, to earn some money. Perhaps he can shovel some walks, mow some lawns, etc, in short, take some responsibility for his actions.
<O:p
On a side note, nice rack! Perhaps there is a way you could work off part of that bill. The boys and I will be gathering at the golf club next weekend. If you would be interested in being our "ball girl" for the day, *WINK WINK* I think we would be willing to forget about this little indiscretion on the part of your boy.<O:p<O:p

Let me know soon.

<O:pAll my best,

Bill Gates<O:p

[Cave Johnson]

the AVERAGE AGE is 30?

I highly doubt that.

I'd believe 22 or 23...

Maybe the average age of everyone who plays video games (even if it's once a yaer) might be 30...

but the people doing the majority of the gaming are 12-21

It depends on the definition. The average core gamer (e.g., Halo, COD, etc.) is well under 30.

If you include Farmville, Angry Birds, etc., that skews the average up significantly.

[loochy]

It depends on the definition. The average core gamer (e.g., Halo, COD, etc.) is well under 30.

If you include Farmville, Angry Birds, etc., that skews the average up significantly.

LOL that's not gaming.

Also, WTF still plays Farmville?

[bowener]

Twenty bucks says that kid is British.

Well, since it gives the price in pounds originally, I am pretty certain you are correct...

[Cave Johnson]

LOL that's not gaming.

Also, WTF still plays Farmville?

I'm with you 100%. But look at the first link ChiefsCountry posted. The average age includes "'casual" games', usually puzzle, board, trivia or card games." So my dad, who plays bridge online, is included.

Btw, Oregon Trail and Carmen Sandiego are coming to FB.

[MOhillbilly]

bb gun,bike,dog. The good old days when youd break your head open and shoot your eye out. Then let your hound hear all your troubles on the back porch step. Kids are gettin screwed out of a proper childhood these days.

[Chief Chief]

Brendan??

Looks more like Brenda.

If Mom did a thorough search of her bra and G-string and the kid's hair, she'd probably find a few hundred quid.

And...

Dah-yuhm! Who designed that wallpaper?

[bowener]

Can anyone get his user name from the picture? Just curious.

[MOhillbilly]

http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=743738969

[bowener]

http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=743738969 (http://www.facebook.com/#%21/profile.php?id=743738969)

Damn. Won't let me look at her profile.

[MOhillbilly]

me either. hot pic, real keeper.

[Extra Point]

Brendan??

Looks more like Brezhnev.

FYP. Lots of time invested in plucking that unibrow.

That'll teach her for not asking questions at the sperm bank.

[Silock]

I'm surprised you haven't taken any flak for this yet, but I do agree with you (with the caveat that I don't have any personal experience with XBL so I don't know how easy/obvious the parental controls are or how much warning this woman should have had that her credit card info was available for the son's use any time he felt the urge to download additional content).

I was helping my mom with her new ipad the other day and I was showing her where you could buy books for the iBook reader. It's been my experience on my iPhone with Apple's iTunes store that when I click on an app or a song I want to buy, it always prompts me for my apple ID and password so I assumed that it was going to work the same way on her iPad. As I was telling her this, I clicked on the "buy" button for a book and instead of prompting me for my ID/password as I expected, it immediately started downloading. Luckily, it was a cheap book ($3) and it was something she was interested in reading anyway so it was no big deal, but it just goes to show that these processes aren't always transparently obvious even for people who have experience using them.

I agree with you in principal. However, doesn't clicking a button that says "Buy" imply that you'll be exchanging money for it?

[loochy]

I agree with you in principal. However, doesn't clicking a button that says "Buy" imply that you'll be exchanging money for it?

This type of logic is too logical.

[Short Leash Hootie]

well Microsoft tells you how much money your spending every time you make a purchase for points...

that's not my point at all

[patteeu]

I agree with you in principal. However, doesn't clicking a button that says "Buy" imply that you'll be exchanging money for it?

If that was your first experience with the process it would. In the iTunes case I described though, my experience had been that each time I'd previously clicked "buy" I would be prompted to log in before the transaction could be completed. Apparently, without realizing it, I was already logged in on my mom's iPad when I clicked "buy" so I experienced an unfamiliar behavior.

[patteeu]

This type of logic is too logical.

There are thousands of sites out there where the "buy now" button is only the beginning of the checkout process. It's very common that you can abort the purchase before you even put your credit card info in after clicking a "buy now" button.

I just checked out Donald Rumsfeld's book on Amazon.com's mobile site and there's a "buy both now" button for people who want to buy both Rumsfeld's book and GW Bush's recent book, but clicking that button doesn't actually commit you to buying anything.

[Mile High Mania]

That is one weird looking kid... must be this guy's cousin.

"Head! Pants ... "

http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRZaNMCFBwbatsuVLDRnsAEKKiCNnjH5hzJVqZiZSahuAITPH8O

[Valiant]

Cannot copy/paste as I am on my phone but there is article just like this on apple for their ipad and a small girl buying stuff for her smurf game.

On consumerist.com

She smurfed up real good.

[loochy]

Cannot copy/paste as I am on my phone but there is article just like this on apple for their ipad and a small girl buying stuff for her smurf game.

On consumerist.com

She smurfed up real good.

Shut the smurf up you smurfing mother smurfer.

<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/bXUNqwyYZ64" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[Bill Brasky]

I'd love to plow his mom. HUGE KNOCKERS.

[CoMoChief]

That mom would be MUCH better looking if she got rid of the fake cartoon brows and just had her regular natural ones. Looks like she has nice boobs though.

Too bad she produced a douchebag of a kiddo, though....I mean, look at him ROFL

[KC native]

hehe, this is exactly why I keep my old expired debit cards on accounts for shit with auto-renew and where my kid has a chance to buy something.

I've tried deleting my cards off xbox before to no avail. I even did the log into xbox.com crap but that didn't take them off my box.

I have something like 3 expired cards on there and 1 valid card. The oldest expired is my default card to prevent this type of shit from happening.

[Bwana]

I'd love to plow his mom. HUGE KNOCKERS.

From the looks of Brenden, I think she got plowed by an Irish Water Spaniel.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3267/2912565408_f59a7e4b8c.jpg

[seclark]

From the looks of Brenden, I think she got plowed by an Irish Water Spaniel.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3267/2912565408_f59a7e4b8c.jpg

?

[Pants]

hehe, this is exactly why I keep my old expired debit cards on accounts for shit with auto-renew and where my kid has a chance to buy something.

I've tried deleting my cards off xbox before to no avail. I even did the log into xbox.com crap but that didn't take them off my box.

I have something like 3 expired cards on there and 1 valid card. The oldest expired is my default card to prevent this type of shit from happening.

They'll still renew your shit automatically and then send collectors on you. At least that's what the good people of the internet were saying.

[Pestilence]

They'll still renew your shit automatically and then send collectors on you. At least that's what the good people of the internet were saying.

I left an expired CC on my Xbox before and they just kept sending me e-mails saying that they were trying to renew the subscription but there was an error with the card. Finally the e-mails just stopped. I never got anything from them about collections.

[WV]

fear of my dad alone would have prevented me from being that stupid. I understand m$ is shady, and maybe she has a point, but I refuse to clear her and her son of all blame. Kid looks old enough to know better and parents shouldn't give access to their credit cards unless they are sure they are responsible enough to not click "ok" when it asks if you are sure you want to download content and deduct X amount of points. Then when there aren't enough points, it directs you to a screen to purchase points. It is obvious you are spending money... So basically I'm putting blame on the kid.

This....amazing how people's hate of M$ is clouding the issue. The kid was stupid for thinking he could get all that shit for free and his mother was irresponsible for not monitoring her credit cards more. And if she's going to use the single mother card struggling with two jobs she should be more careful financially.

[ChiefsCountry]

No the biggest crap thing is they make you buy certain game packs just to play the damn game online. That pisses me off the most about XBox Live.

[Pants]

This....amazing how people's hate of M$ is clouding the issue. The kid was stupid for thinking he could get all that shit for free and his mother was irresponsible for not monitoring her credit cards more. And if she's going to use the single mother card struggling with two jobs she should be more careful financially.

I don't hate M$, but I was pretty mad when I had to hang up on their customer service after waiting for 45 minutes on hold. My phone was dying, you see.

[googlegoogle]

Microsoft sucks. They need to refund her. Parent shouldn't be held liable by kid illegally using a card number that was held onto their software.

[loochy]

This....amazing how people's hate of M$ is clouding the issue. The kid was stupid for thinking he could get all that shit for free and his mother was irresponsible for not monitoring her credit cards more. And if she's going to use the single mother card struggling with two jobs she should be more careful financially.

Well why do you think she is struggling financially? Perhaps it's because she doesn't pay much attention?

[Pants]

No the biggest crap thing is they make you buy certain game packs just to play the damn game online. That pisses me off the most about XBox Live.

What do you mean?

[notorious]

Everytime he selected "Buy" he is entering a contract with Microsoft.


Since he is under 18, shouldn't the contract be void, or does it tie back to his mother?

[WV]

Well why do you think she is struggling financially? Perhaps it's because she doesn't pay much attention?

No I think it's from paying for her fake rack. :D

[ChiefsCountry]

What do you mean?

Take Halo for example to play standard online games you have to "download/pay $5" for map packs just so you can play online.

[Pants]

Take Halo for example to play standard online games you have to "download/pay $5" for map packs just so you can play online.

You can't play on just the old maps unless you buy the new ones too? The maps are optional in COD.

[WV]

I don't hate M$, but I was pretty mad when I had to hang up on their customer service after waiting for 45 minutes on hold. My phone was dying, you see.

I'm no M$ apologist and while I have a XBL subscription I think it's BS to have to pay to play online. However, I get pissed when a bunch of dumbasses like this lady and thousands of others like her try to work every angle possible to get out of paying for something or trying to get a reduced rate. All this does is screw the good customers in the end.

[loochy]

I'm no M$ apologist and while I have a XBL subscription I think it's BS to have to pay to play online. However, I get pissed when a bunch of dumbasses like this lady and thousands of others like her try to work every angle possible to get out of paying for something or trying to get a reduced rate. All this does is screw the good customers in the end.

Quit suggesting that somebody be accountable for their actions. It's not the American way.

[Silock]

If that was your first experience with the process it would. In the iTunes case I described though, my experience had been that each time I'd previously clicked "buy" I would be prompted to log in before the transaction could be completed. Apparently, without realizing it, I was already logged in on my mom's iPad when I clicked "buy" so I experienced an unfamiliar behavior.

You only need to login once per session, not each time you click on it, just FYI.

[KC native]

They'll still renew your shit automatically and then send collectors on you. At least that's what the good people of the internet were saying.

I left an expired CC on my Xbox before and they just kept sending me e-mails saying that they were trying to renew the subscription but there was an error with the card. Finally the e-mails just stopped. I never got anything from them about collections.

This. I had two accounts for awhile because I got a 2-3 years worth of free cards from my buddy who was doing promo shit for Gamestop. The second account just ceased to be.

[googlegoogle]

Everytime he selected "Buy" he is entering a contract with Microsoft.


Since he is under 18, shouldn't the contract be void, or does it tie back to his mother?


exactly what i said.

she has a case.

kids can't take parents cards and go to the store buy all this stupid ***t.

[WV]

exactly what i said.

she has a case.

kids can't take parents cards and go to the store buy all this stupid ***t.

I'd be pretty willing to bet theres some fine print somewhere that covers shit like this.

[kysirsoze]

I'm not disputing the fact that M$ makes it easy for this to happen. I just don't see them changing the way they do things. Why the **** would they? Look at all the bad press they got from the RROD. They could give two shits what people think about them....because people are still going to buy their shit.

I'm no lawyer, but a practice that is this susceptible to what basically amounts to CC fraud looks like prime territory for a lawsuit, regardless of the press. This woman could have been more vigilant, sure, but not requiring any ID for online purchases is pretty shady. I agree with Hootie that the intent for kids to essentially steal from their parents and give it to M$ is pretty clear.

[kysirsoze]

No I think it's from paying for her fake rack. :D

That's probably the only thing paying the bills.

[Bwana]

This sounds like a case for Jackie Chiles!


http://bp3.blogger.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/RxZSYCsbIcI/AAAAAAAAA2Y/eHY5qYndFiI/s320/card_jackie_f.gif

[patteeu]

You only need to login once per session, not each time you click on it, just FYI.

Yeah, I understand how it works. It just wasn't obvious to me that my mother was already logged in and I'm not sure I've ever downloaded two consecutive items on my iPhone where I was already logged in before pressing "buy" for the second item. The point is that I'm more tech literate than most people (not saying most CPers, just most people) and it bit me in a small way once. I can see how a non-tech mother might not fully understand the process in advance. Now the fact that it went on for 6 months might be an issue, but it's lame to blame her for not fully understanding Microsoft's XBL business model.

[notorious]

This sounds like a case for Jackie Chiles!


http://bp3.blogger.com/_ZSRRivY4xlE/RxZSYCsbIcI/AAAAAAAAA2Y/eHY5qYndFiI/s320/card_jackie_f.gif

If the kid's a fat piece of shit, you must acquit!

[Bwana]

If the kid's a fat piece of shit, you must acquit!

LMAO

[Valiant]

Here it is.. MS is not alone..

http://consumerist.com/2011/02/8-year-old-girl-racks-up-1400-bill-playing-smurfs-village-ipad-game.html

A 2nd-grader managed to rack up a $1,400 bill for her parents over break while playing the "Smurfs Village", a Farmville-esque iPad game, reports the Washington Post. Like many of these app-based games, the game is free but you can purchase in-app upgrades, with real money, to speed your progress. In this case, you can get a "bucket of snowflakes" for $19 or a "wagon of smurfberries" for $99. Needless to say, her mother became quite blue in the face.

"I thought the app preyed on children," she told the Washington Post. "Note that the Smurf app states it is for ages 4-plus."

After complaining to Apple, the mother was eventually able to get a refund.

This is why parents shouldn't give out their iTunes passwords to their children. Parents also need to educate kids that some of these games are designed like mousetraps and the in-app upgrades can cost actual cash. Also, if you notice your kid playing one video game for hours and hours, it's time to institute some time limits on their device use.

Besides, the whole idea of competing to have the best Smurf house with the best Smurf garden that you pay money to upgrade seems very anti-Smurf to me. I thought the Smurfs were a bunch of free-love commies and everyone was equal? I guess everything's different now that the wall came down...

[salame]

I would like to bang his mom
that is all

[WV]

Here it is.. MS is not alone..

http://consumerist.com/2011/02/8-year-old-girl-racks-up-1400-bill-playing-smurfs-village-ipad-game.html

A 2nd-grader managed to rack up a $1,400 bill for her parents over break while playing the "Smurfs Village", a Farmville-esque iPad game, reports the Washington Post. Like many of these app-based games, the game is free but you can purchase in-app upgrades, with real money, to speed your progress. In this case, you can get a "bucket of snowflakes" for $19 or a "wagon of smurfberries" for $99. Needless to say, her mother became quite blue in the face.

"I thought the app preyed on children," she told the Washington Post. "Note that the Smurf app states it is for ages 4-plus."

After complaining to Apple, the mother was eventually able to get a refund.

This is why parents shouldn't give out their iTunes passwords to their children. Parents also need to educate kids that some of these games are designed like mousetraps and the in-app upgrades can cost actual cash. Also, if you notice your kid playing one video game for hours and hours, it's time to institute some time limits on their device use.

Besides, the whole idea of competing to have the best Smurf house with the best Smurf garden that you pay money to upgrade seems very anti-Smurf to me. I thought the Smurfs were a bunch of free-love commies and everyone was equal? I guess everything's different now that the wall came down...

I'm more willing to give the 2nd grader a pass, but the other little knuckle head should have known better.

[salame]

his curly fro is pretty epic

[CrazyPhuD]

Well at least she's not letting e-bay babysit her kid!

http://technolog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/02/09/6018399-seven-year-old-boy-buys-fighter-jet-on-ebay

[Bugeater]

Well at least she's not letting e-bay babysit her kid!

http://technolog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/02/09/6018399-seven-year-old-boy-buys-fighter-jet-on-ebay
ROFL

[Tribal Warfare]

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_WcqFP6x3Bps/SwVF94SqaQI/AAAAAAAACZA/8wsio8YgBiM/s400/grinch.jpg

the kid looks like the Grinch

[T-post Tom]

"You can’t put all that responsibility on a young boy."

No shit, "mom". BTW, the "Cotton Corral" called and you still haven't paid your tab there.

[Over-Head]

......"After he racked up £1082.52 (about $1,700 USD) in XBL charges over the course of several months,"


OPEN your ****ing mail you stunned gunt!!!
Better yet, pay your bills ON TIME ya might have noticed it

[Los Pollos Hermanos]

Maybe I'm a bad parent but I downloaded a free app on my iTouch for my four year old to play. She played the game while sitting with me in the chair as I watched TV. She played the game for probably an hour. Then she was off to bed.

The next morning I awoke to a receipt from i-Tunes in my inbox. The game had been upgraded to it's full version for a fee of $99. I didn't upgrade this game. My daughter certainly doesn't know my password. Apparently, the game can be upgraded from within game and it either didn't require a password or had stored my password from when I downloaded the free app.

I understand the purpose of the free version is to allow you test the game and hope that you will buy the full version. However, I think that this practice of taking a game clearly aimed at very young kids and making it so easy to upgrade to an expesive full version borders on criminal behavior.

After an angry e-mail I was able to get a refund from Apple. However, I was informed that I would not be able to receive a refund in the future for any accidental purchases.

[Fat Elvis]

Maybe I'm a bad parent but I downloaded a free app on my iTouch for my four year old to play. She played the game while sitting with me in the chair as I watched TV. She played the game for probably an hour. Then she was off to bed.

The next morning I awoke to a receipt from i-Tunes in my inbox. The game had been upgraded to it's full version for a fee of $99. I didn't upgrade this game. My daughter certainly doesn't know my password. Apparently, the game can be upgraded from within game and it either didn't require a password or had stored my password from when I downloaded the free app.

I understand the purpose of the free version is to allow you test the game and hope that you will buy the full version. However, I think that this practice of taking a game clearly aimed at very young kids and making it so easy to upgrade to an expesive full version borders on criminal behavior.

After an angry e-mail I was able to get a refund from Apple. However, I was informed that I would not be able to receive a refund in the future for any accidental purchases.

He deserves an ass beating. bet it doesn't happen.

Perhaps you should enroll in the stevieray school of childrearing?

[Misplaced_Chiefs_Fan]

Then again, we don't know if the mom bought this stuff and is now trying to get out of it by blaming it on the kid. Just because she said he bought the stuff doesn't mean he did.

[patteeu]

Then again, we don't know if the mom bought this stuff and is now trying to get out of it by blaming it on the kid. Just because she said he bought the stuff doesn't mean he did.

True, but my opinion would be that that's a slim possibility, not a likelihood.

[Cave Johnson]

You can't play on just the old maps unless you buy the new ones too? The maps are optional in COD.

I know with Halo 3, certain game types were excluded to non-map pack users.

[Pants]

I know with Halo 3, certain game types were excluded to non-map pack users.

And those types were playable before the map packs? I guess what I'm asking is: was anything taken away from a player if they opted out of buying the new maps?