Ask Joystiq Xbox: Frozen edition

This week on Ask Joystiq Xbox, we take a look at Xbox 360 freezing issues, the still nonexistent Saints Row 2 patch, and how to remove a credit card from your Xbox Live account. Also, we take a moment to discuss our recent transition from Xbox 360 Fanboy to Joystiq Xbox. Find it all after the break.

Got a question for Ask Joystiq Xbox? Maybe you have a story or some information you'd like to share? Send it all to ask [att] xbox360fanboy [dawt] com.

Hi guys,

So i just got Fable II a few days ago and I've been plagued by freezing issues. It seems the patch released recently doesn't do anything for me. So my question is the following. What have you seen in the X3F towers in relation to Fable II freezing issues, and what solutions have you heard about? Should I exchange my copy of the game for a new one? Is my xbox on its way out (I hope not i was just replaced a few months ago). Will installing it to hard drive really work? (ack 6.8 gigs!!! on my small 20gig hard drive...). Or is their some other vodoo i haven't heard about that I should try with the game?

Thanks, -Mike
Gamertag: IAmMikesXBOX

We're not aware of any special fixes for Fable II freezing bugs. Sadly, it's pretty much always possible that your Xbox could be on the way out, and game freezing is definitely a warning sign. We still remember our 360 hacking and coughing way back when Crackdown was released. If you still can, there's no reason not to at least try exchanging your copy, so you might as well give that a go. Finally, if installing to the hard drive does work, we'd be afraid that that points to problems reading the disc, which again could be a sign of a hardware problem. We're not hardware experts though (clearly).

What say you, community, know any Fable II freezing fixes for Mike?

Greetings,

I was wondering if you had any word on the status of the allusive Saints Row 2 patch? Volition have had it as 'coming soon' since launch but here we are in in February and still no sign of it, I wouldn't mind getting the Partners In Crime achievement that I have completed but not been given the achievement for. The official forums seem to quietly move along any talk on the subject. For that matter, any DLC for the game? I suspect it's a little late for the supposed Christmas themed stuff we were supposed to be getting. Maybe we can have an Easter Bunny costume instead?

Many thanks,

Ample Salty.

Ample, we covered this in a previous Ask. The latest word that we have is that Volition has submitted the Xbox 360 patch to Microsoft for certification. Once it passes cert, Volition will announce a release date for the patch. We realize it's been a long time coming, but it sounds like you'll have to wait a bit longer.

Hey guys,

My dad's credit card is linked to my 360. and I just bought a 13 month card from Amazon, thanks to you guys, and I was wondering how I can take off the card from my account so it doesnt get charged in April.

Thanks,

FatAtHeart

First, you should know that if you activate your 13 month card, it will simply advance your payment date. If you apply it now, it will basically add 13 months to the end of your current subscription, so your dad's credit card shouldn't be charged until the 13 month card expires. Still, if you want to remove the card for another reason, you can do so at Xbox.com. Sign into your Xbox Live profile and then click 'My Account' from the drop down menu. Once the page loads, you can select 'Manage Payment Options' from the menu on the left. Here you can add, edit, or remove your various payment methods.

Hello!

I recently purchased an Xbox 360 Elite a couple months back. Aha, I am a PS3 worshipper and never thought of buying an Xbox 360, but after being persuaded by friends to join them on Left 4 Dead and Gears of War 2 I couldn't resist. The games are great, but I have one question: My Xbox 360 constantly freezes on me! During a loading screen, or just starting up a game, it freezes. It is just very annoying getting to the fourth chapter on a campaign on L4D on Expert and having it freeze on you. Any suggestions? (too hot area, etc.?).

Or shall I just continue believing that the Xbox 360 is a horribly designed console that is solely designed to piss off gamers :P.

Thank you (and I mean no offense to my own personal comment!),
MindofMykyta

Wow, too many freezing emails this week (must be the weather, hey-oh!). Unfortunately, the Xbox 360 is horribly designed, though not solely to piss off gamers. Still, if your console is new, it should still be under warranty, so you don't have to worry about replacing it. Anywho, if you're only having issues with game -- which doesn't sound like the case -- you should try returning it and getting a new copy. Also, and this always applies, make sure you keep your Xbox 360 in well ventilated space. Be sure that it has at least a few inches of empty space around it, too.

Hi guys,

I figure I'll ask what's on many of our minds... is there a snowball's chance in hell that we'll ever get unmolested, awesome xbox360fanboy back? If not... can you point us to a good xbox fanboy blog? crosslinking to ps3 fanboy just does not cut it...

Thanks,

-AoE

The short answer is no, X3F as it was will never return. The long answer is that X3F never really left. We're all still here -- the same people that made X3F special -- and we're not going anywhere. We realize that there are a lot of changes. New writers, network-wide content and an entirely new look can be hard to stomach in such a short time. Please let me assure you that we're all just as dedicated to Xbox coverage as we've always been. Now there are just more of us. As we mentioned on the Fancast earlier this week, David Hinkle, formerly the lead of Wii Fanboy, is an incredibly dedicated Xbox gamer. Seriously, you should see him play Gears of War 2.

Yes, it's kind of weird to see posts from other parts of the network show up here, but it makes a lot more sense for us to cross-post certain news items than to have four different writers write up the same news piece on four different sites. Now we have more time to dedicate to finding and writing great content. Also, don't forget that we're still producing great Xbox exclusive content like the Xbox 360 Fancast, XBLA in Brief, and the column you're reading right now.

We know it's different, but we honestly believe it's better this way and it's going to get even better in the future. Keep an eye out for a new editorial feature later this week, where we'll look at the transition from X3F to Joystiq Xbox in greater detail. In the meantime, please feel free to share your thoughts about the new format in the comments below.

That's it for this week, folks. Keep sending your questions to: ask [att] xbox360fanboy [dawt] com.