Microsoft Sending Xbox Live Veterans a Custom, Free Xbox 360

[kupomogli]

A nice thank you gift for those who have continued to use the Live service from the original XBOX release to now. What is potentially a $300-$500 360 depending on how much you paid for Live. I can see these going for quite a bit on Ebay.

If Microsoft told me 10 years ago I'd get a free video game console for paying for Live then I would have had no problem playing to play games online. Not going to start now though because still can't be sure 10 years from now they'll be doing anything else like this.

http://kotaku.com/5960013/microsoft-sending-xbox-live-veterans-a-custom-free-xbox-360

[PapaStu]

I'm a day 2 adopter, though I had my XBL kit day one. Heres to hoping i get a free 360.

[Leo_A]

I believe accounts are denoted as such if they date from day 1 and have never let their subscription lapse on their original account. So I imagine you'd already know if you were eligible for this.

It seems like I remember them providing stats several years ago (On Major Nelson's blog perhaps) and there was only an extremely tiny amount of continually subscribing customers from day 1 even then. I think they gave away a free XBLA game to those few customers.

Edit - Everyone got a free XBLA game for the 5 year anniversary and those from day 1 recieved 500 MS Points.

[RCM]

I may be jealous if the system didn't look so tacky.

[The 1 2 P]

Damn. I want one but I'm a few years shy of the 10 year milestone. Still, it's nice to see Microsoft giving back to their loyal fans.

[Mr Mort]

Yeah, I've had my account active since day one. Got an email today saying I got a special avatar helmet as a thank you for being a member since day one. Meh. Nice gesture, but the free console would have been nicer ;)
In any case, I think it's cool that they're doing it for some day one adopters, it's a nice way of thanking your faithful customers.

[NayusDante]

I may be jealous if the system didn't look so tacky.

Compared to some of the other designs, this one's actually pretty nice. I wouldn't mind having one. Of course, I've never been a LIVE subscriber.

[PapaStu]

I'm a day 2 adopter, though I had my XBL kit day one. Heres to hoping i get a free 360.

Aaaaand, they just did my auto rejoin today. I magically got the 10th anniversary helmet, and that means that I did go live 10 years ago today. I guess that means that the kit my friend grabbed for me was bought the night before release (she worked at Circuit City) and I did go live day 1. Sweet. 5917


I believe accounts are denoted as such if they date from day 1 and have never let their subscription lapse on their original account. So I imagine you'd already know if you were eligible for this.

It seems like I remember them providing stats several years ago (On Major Nelson's blog perhaps) and there was only an extremely tiny amount of continually subscribing customers from day 1 even then. I think they gave away a free XBLA game to those few customers.

Edit - Everyone got a free XBLA game for the 5 year anniversary and those from day 1 recieved 500 MS Points.

Accounts are not denoted as such.

[Leo_A]

Yeah, that's my mistake. Someone was impressed at another forum that he saw someone on his friend's list that had an account dating to back then. So I just assumed they did until I discovered last night that the number of years your account has been active is denoted right on your profile (Which is 6 years for me to my surprise since I thought my account predated the 360's launch in 2005).

I'm assuming he was referencing 10 years marked on the profile.

[The 1 2 P]

Aaaaand, they just did my auto rejoin today. I magically got the 10th anniversary helmet, and that means that I did go live 10 years ago today.

I got the same avatar helmet code and I have not been a member for 10 years. I think that anyone who was a member on the original Xbox until now gets the free avatar helmet and certain day one members get the free console(which you can also win in a contest they are currently running). I think that they should have given ALL day one members(which would exclude me) the free console for showing their loyalty. So yeah, I hope that one shows up on your doorstep because you deserve it.

They are also giving away a free Kinect game(the third free one over the last five months or so) on XBL for download but today is the last day it will be free.

[kupomogli]

Did they announce how many of these they were actually giving out?

[The 1 2 P]

Not that I know of. But as far as the contest goes only one winner gets that. Atleast I think theres only one grand prize winner.

[Overbite]

According to my subscription history I've been with xbox live since 10/31/2004 and it's never run out. I wonder if I am eligible for this xbox? When did xbox live first launch?

[Leo_A]

That was just a year before the Xbox 360 launched. So I'd be shocked if you were selected.

Xbox Live's beta program with thousands of testers opened in early 2002. It was officially launched on November 15, 2002. So your account dates from almost two years after the public opening of the service.

[The 1 2 P]

Not that I know of. But as far as the contest goes only one winner gets that. Atleast I think theres only one grand prize winner.

I was wrong. Five winners will get the custom made console as a prize. The amount of 10 year live member recipients still hasn't been disclosed.


According to my subscription history I've been with xbox live since 10/31/2004 and it's never run out. I wonder if I am eligible for this xbox?

You should still be sent the avatar code for the 10 year anniversary helmet. And you also have a shot at being one of the five grand prize winners for the console if you enter the contest.

[PapaStu]

I got the same avatar helmet code and I have not been a member for 10 years. I think that anyone who was a member on the original Xbox until now gets the free avatar helmet and certain day one members get the free console(which you can also win in a contest they are currently running). I think that they should have given ALL day one members(which would exclude me) the free console for showing their loyalty. So yeah, I hope that one shows up on your doorstep because you deserve it.

They are also giving away a free Kinect game(the third free one over the last five months or so) on XBL for download but today is the last day it will be free.

I updated my previous post. I had taken the pic about 9PM on the 15th. My auto-rejoin email showed up about 5PM. I did the picture download to enter me in the contest. Here's to hoping, though i'm not putting much into it. Haven't won anything through XBL and for the longest time I was a constant downloader of all those contest entry items.

I got the Kinect game, not that I have a Kinect... Whatever. Free game is free.

[Gamereviewgod]

Anyone who ended up with the Avatar helmet and doesn't want it: People are paying upwards of $30 for them on eBay.

[Collector_Gaming]

I put myself in for the contest... I am just wondering how fast will those anniversary consoles will end up on ebay in hopes of getting high end money for a rare 360 model.

If I win I am keeping mine probably un used

[Gamevet]

I've been Xbox Live subscriber for 8 years. I didn't get my Xbox until late 2003, early 2004. It wasn't until Kotor came out that I had to have the console.

[The 1 2 P]

Anyone who ended up with the Avatar helmet and doesn't want it: People are paying upwards of $30 for them on eBay.

I'm not surprised. I remember when people were paying between $100-$115 to get the flamming helmet code from the legendary edition of Halo Reach shortly after it came out. At that price they might as well paid the extra $40-$50 for the entire game.


I didn't get my Xbox until late 2003, early 2004. It wasn't until Kotor came out that I had to have the console.

If you were going to pick a non-Halo game to get an Xbox for, either KOTOR would have been a pretty good substitute.