Microsoft Offers Xbox Live License Fix

After more than a year, Microsoft has released a tool that lets users transfer downloadable games to a new Xbox 360 console.

After more than a year working on the problem, Microsoft has finally released a simple tool that enables Xbox 360 users to transfer licenses for games they purchased via the Xbox Live Marketplace to a new console—and play them without having an active Internet connection. Previously, if users attempted to play a purchased game on a new Xbox 360 console, the games would only work so long as Microsoft’s DRM system could validate the licenses over the Internet. Without an active Internet connection, the games would revert to demo mode. The new tool enables gamers to fully transfer their licenses to a new console—handy, considering the high defect rate among Xbox 360 consoles means as many has one in three gamers might be facing the problem.

Microsoft will only let customers use the tools once a year, mostly likely to prevent abuse by gamers transferring licenses to a friend’s console for the weekend, then transferring them back the next week. The system will only transfer games: the tool won’t transfer licenses to movies or television episodes purchased via Xbox Live.

Some Xbox 360 customers were able to convince Microsoft technical support to refund points for games they couldn’t transfer to their new Xbox 360 consoles, then re-download the games (with a new license) to their replacement systems.