12 Xbox One games delisted from Microsoft Store, cannot be redownloaded [updated]

Dutch x Monster said:Then you’ve chosen to play on the wrong platform buddy. You’ve agreed to the terms every time you put a disc in your machine. Not agreeing/refusing to accept something doesn’t change the facts. It is what it is. Vote with your digital wallet.

In case it helps anyone else:

I bought "The Station" in a recent sale but it disappeared from my library on Xbox and still hasn't returned. I wasn't able to get it to install via the app nor the website. I tried the Microsoft Store app on my laptop, went to the three dots menu in the top right. Choose "Downloads and Updates", then "All Owned". The app was there and I was able to install on my xbox from there.

WoodlandSpirit said:Glorious my friend

Even if a game is completely delisted, it should still appear in your game library. On the x360 you have to go through your purchase list to find it, on the x1 it should still be in your game library. But if it doesn't appear then I don't know.

The folks saying they only buy physical copies for preservation's sake need to know that this isn't a permanent solution, either. For the time being, thankfully, it means you can still play that game if it gets delisted. Since you'll still be able to get patches for the game from Microsoft and Sony's servers, still play and share what you do online, etc. However this is only in the short-term.

Since the start of last generation (XB1 and PS4,) all games are now digital. The disc version is simply one way you can install these digital games (and thankfully also collect something tangible, resell or lend the game to others, etc.) However you'll need to download patches once you install the portion that's on the disc. There aren't any disc releases with the up-to-date version of a game present on them. And in fact for most "AAA" games these days, the data present on the disc alone doesn't even give you a playable version of the game. You'll need the "day one patch."

When you save your game, it is linked to the current version/patch of the game that is out. If you try to load your save data on an older build of the game, it generally won't work. So in the case that Microsoft or Sony stop supporting game patches decades down the line: your old disc copy won't be compatible with your save. And it will be an earlier, often unplayable version of the game (if you decided to start from scratch, let's say.) This is not like games in the pre-modern era where the physical version of a game is the full, final version of that game. Where no online connectivity is required.

RodimusPrime13 said:Did you skip the whole thread, or even the title of the thread. The games were completely removed...including from your library. They have been restored, but it's a bit of a wake up call.

ShinUkyo said:I installed several games yesterday that didn't need patches. While you are mostly correct, to say that there are none is false.

Might want to update the title to indicate that some have been relisted.

Sashamorning said:Holy crap, there’s been TWO updates at the top of the story for over a day and the title includes “updated” to let people know that those updates exist.

People are so lazy that they can’t read the two blurbs that start with UPDATE, the literal first thing you see when clicking on the story. The only thing they could do at this point is delete the story, people will just jump to comments to have their reaction regardless of what they do.

Absconder said:The issue with San Andreas was fixed a couple weeks ago. If you're still seeing this, please file a bug.

Dokkur Firewing said:I used to be like you… I got tired of it. After you’ve carted that stuff around for 20 years and you realize for the tenth time you haven’t even opened the box since the last time you moved the stupid thing you’ll start to question why. Then you’ll find yourself having a harder and harder time finding proper storage for digital media (because too hot or too cold: bit rot). After while you’ll realize you need to buy new hard drives and transfer everything because the technology is aging and those hard drives are consumer grade and won’t last forever. But your kid needs braces, or someone in the family has had a health scare, or someone is between jobs and money is tight… life will make that a hard choice. And now it’s been 20-30 years and either 1) you can’t find working hardware to play those games anyway or 2) emulators are so good and so ubiquitous that not only do you have a dozen on your brain-phone, any jackhole can download all the games you did all that free labor for over the years and all that effort and expense was for nothing…

But in case you’re still not convinced, I have a massive crate of circa 1995-2005 PC games for sale, including rare titles like System Shock 2, pst.

x ALBANACH x said:That simply is not true for 95% of all physical games. I live in a quite rural region with a bad online connection and play a lot of disc based games without big problems. For sure some of them need the provided patches to run flawlessly but are absolutely playable without them too.

Sashamorning said:They are all fixed. Links are restored. Not sure if they are in the RTI but can be retrieved through multiple methods at this point. I have them all retrieved myself. The article was like a big help in accomplishing this. The TA news team likely does not work on sundays or Halloween but I imagine the article will be fixed when they have time. I think letting people know about it is more important then explaining its been fixed. Just my opinion, I hope you are doing well Sasha and if celebrate Halloween, happy Halloween.

TymanTheLong said:Cuz it's a deceiving title currently, it should be changed. It currently gives the idea that 12 games are delisted which isn't true. Rather see something like [12 Games Re-apear on the store again] or whatever suits

TymanTheLong said:

The point is that you have to click on the story. Period. There are enough staff to update the article, but not to change the deceptive headline?

Anyone who knows anything about usability knows that decreasing clicks helps users. Maybe not the site, but definitely the users.

Titles have been changed before. In fact, THIS article was updated with the "[updated]". As it is, the original title no longer applies.

I don't appreciate the derision in your response. I assume you're intelligent enough to understand what I'm saying. Right now the title is misleading.

Period.

I don't know, but with the Xbox one it looks for the game library from active game titles. Once a game is delisted it is permanently removed across all store fronts. Then I believe the game needs to be added to the new hidden delisted titles list that only people who previously purchased the game have access to. I am not a tech but from what I have seen that seems to be what happens.

Sashamorning said:I understand what you mean and you’re arguing against news convention.

“Updated” is literally the internet news convention, even used by the NYT and Washington Post when a story has updates. It’s about as user friendly as it gets. It tells the user there’s been developments since the article was posted. Changing a headline is bad, it can make an article hard or impossible to find again.

I understand usability and my initial reaction is your usability argument is flawed and ignores convention.


Dutch x Monster said:See above, TA is following internet news convention. They’re doing it correctly.

RodimusPrime13 said:I have two games in my library that do not show up for some odd reason. Forza Horizon 2 and Evolve. I have to go to the store to redownload FH2 and i have to use the app to redownload Evolve. I sent the issue to xbox many times and they refuse to answer.

TymanTheLong said:Deceiving readers is correct "internet news convention"

Ok buddy

The Station was in my library, so I installed it.