Right at the tail end of January, we shared news on an Xbox glitch for Alan Wake Remastered where players could claim the game for free via a Free Play Days trial for Alan Wake 2. Well, unfortunately, Microsoft has begun revoking these free copies - more than a month after players first claimed them.
Yep, we're starting to see reports online from folks getting messages directly from Xbox about the team "cancelling your order" and "removing it from your 'My games & apps' list". In addition, the ever-present Wario64 has shared news of this on social media - showcasing images of both the original glitch and the revoking message players are now receiving.
"You recently acquired a version of Alan Wake Remastered that was not intended to be available. Therefore we are cancelling your order, refunding any payment made, and removing it from your "My games & apps" list. We apologise for the inconvenience."
Honestly, this is a bit of a bummer really, especially given that it's been around six weeks since these free copies were first claimed. Having said that, it's easily feasible that players could have claimed and beaten Alan Wake Remastered in that time - and after all, it was clearly an unintended loophole that cropped up via Alan Wake 2's free trial period.
We're also curious to see if a similar thing happens with Dragon Ball FighterZ. Last month, players could claim a free Xbox Series X|S version of the Bandai Namco fighter in a very similar fashion to Alan Wake Remastered. For now, we haven't heard of any casualties with that one - but it might be worth giving the game a go if you managed to claim a copy last month!
What do you make of this move from Microsoft? Tell us whether you've had the dreaded message yet down in the comments.
Comments 27
Ah well a game free for a month isn't bad hopefully those who got the game completed it in time!
Easy come easy go I suppose. Better than punishing people who got it when it was not intended.
Can't complain too much, was always an opportunistic grab.
Yeah, got the message from MS last night.
Oh, well. I already owned it quite genuinely on disc for PS5 and digitally due to the code my physical PS5 copy of AW2 came with. I’ll survive having the Xbox digital copy vanish into the ether.
Kinda reminds me of the few times this sort of thing happened on Sony’s side. I still have access to the glitched-free games they had, like a couple of digital PSP games as well as the God of War 1&2 PS3 remasters.
Sony never revoked access to those. Guess MS is more of a stickler, or Remedy kicked up that much of a fuss since they just barely made a profit on AW2 and need the cash from actual sales!
I turned my Xbox offline and completed it just so it didn't happen. It felt wrong but it's not my fault.
Yeah I got the message today too lol. Still, we had a month to complete it lol.
Should have played it, but I was too busy playing other games. Eh, doesn't matter. 😂
That happened to me. It's really not the end of the world.
@Kaloudz yeah that's what I thought "kinda on me for not finishing it in the month"
@abe_hikura Yup lol! I thought exactly the same thing. Should have jumped on it sooner lol.
@Kaloudz I haven't got the message yet, I do own AW2 from before the offer so maybe they think I got it that way (watch them yank it from me for saying that)
@abe_hikura 🤣🤣🤣 More than likely but it'd be nice if you secured it due to owning the sequel.
@Kaloudz I bought AW2 in a sale (got DLC separately) , the next sale had the deluxe edition at the same price and you also got AW remaster for free, I was... displeased
@abe_hikura Lmao. I would be too. It sucks when that happens doesn't it. But then, so does how digital refunds work. That's my biggest gripe with the digital market. If you so much as boot it up, wham, you're screwed.
I honestly think that's scummy of MS to do that a month later. It was their ***** up anyway so they should have let people keep the game.
@EdgarTheBug jesus dude, use your inside voice. That's some f_cked up sh1t
@dskatter sony have done the same happened to me at least twice.
I was pretty upset about this but then again I could've beat the game in that time and I didn't. Oh well.
@Kaloudz So far I still have access, so that seems to be the trick to keeping these "Freebies" technically meet the requirement for the deal.
Probably should finish it before they realise... but probably wont lol.
Oh bummer I really hope they don’t come after my free copy of DB Fighter Z next…especially since I got it showing up in my “Owned Games” now when originally it wouldn’t
@abe_hikura Lmao! Well if it's any good, let me know. I only have the last gen version and never got round to playing it.
@Kaloudz I played it for a few hours after I finished 2. As a remaster it's "fair" it strips out the product placements with in-universe ones, makes Alan look more like the actor, and includes the usual DLC/better framerate (target)/higher res/improved textures.
It still plays like a 360 game.
@abe_hikura Wait, Alan's looks are based on an actor?
Edit Holy hell! That's amazing. I had no idea. Did they do the same for the character of Control? They must have a thing for that sort of design choice, because wasn't Max Payne also off a likeness?
@Kaloudz Max Pane is Sam Lake Remedy's director, he also plays Casey in Alan Wake 2 and a version of him in Qantum Break (also a version of himself in AW2 DLC).
What's wild is Alan Wake's face is one guy, his voice is another guy
@abe_hikura Eh? Why on earth would they voice one and face capture another? That makes zero sense to me lol. Was the VO ugly or something? :/
@Kaloudz it's a weird thing they do Alan and Casey/Max Payne have separate face and voice actors, it's common enough in older other games but it's super weird considering Alan Wake 2 features these characters in live-action sequences.
Oh Alan's face actor also plays a separate character in live-action but actually voices him so you have this weird bit where this actor is playing two characters interacting but only one is using his voice.
@abe_hikura Man that's just odd 😅 thanks though, without you I'd never have known and it'd have drove me nuts if I ever get round to playing them - hearing and seeing different voices and faces.
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