Xbox Live and Zune Marketplace both acting flaky right now

We don't know exactly what's going on, but both Xbox Live and Zune Marketplace are apparently acting up right now -- we've gotten reports that the entire Zune user database is more or less MIA, while Xbox Live seems unable to process purchases reliably. If we had to guess, we'd say that Microsoft's free Thriller video giveaway is causing some pretty massive server strain, but that's just a shot in the dark. Keep us posted on how you're doing, and we'll let you know if we hear anything official.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 28th 2009 8:35PM]

@kojo87

Name a substantial musician he influenced.

He didn't create the moonwalk, he stole it from street kids.

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 28th 2009 9:17PM]

@Wormbolt

Seriously man, stop before you dig the hole any deeper. Whether you like him or not, he had a HUGE influence in music, specifically in Hip Hop and R&B. Maybe you're too young to like what he did in the 70s and 80s, but don't be the guy too stupid to recognize his contribution.

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 28th 2009 9:21PM]

@sweet greggo

Feel free to name his musical pupils.

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 28th 2009 9:26PM]

@Wormbolt

I don't listen to much R&B and Hip Hop so i don't know the names, but if you polled every artist in those groups that is under the age of 40 they would most likely list him as one their biggest influences. You want names? Check the charts.

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 28th 2009 9:31PM]

@sweet greggo

So you're saying, as far as you know, he has none.

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 28th 2009 10:01PM]

Wormbolt, dude. You're too ignorant to be on our site. Banned.

[CJ Posted Jun 28th 2009 10:34PM]

Wait wait wait.

Nilay, you ban someone for having a different opinion to yours, and voicing it.

Yet Jubei, Paul a. Chapel, Quix, Zak, and about a dozen other trolls are allowed to run rampant, expressing their opinions in the most annoying fashion. But I suppose that you agree with what they say, so the go unbanned, despite a more-or-less unified desire among the commenters and readers of this website to get rid of them.

Am I the only one here noticing some double standards at work?

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 28th 2009 10:41PM]

@Wormbolt

R.I.P.

@CJ

Welcome to engadget! You're not considered a veteran until you've been banned at least once. I myself have been banned twice, once by the infamous Nilay. It's an honor I hold in high regard.

[FallenArms3 Posted Jun 28th 2009 11:07PM]

@CJ- I daresay we could add Erik to that list. He is certainly proving his merit quickly.

[NohOne Posted Jun 28th 2009 11:41PM]

@DeoWulf, not sure how long you have been around here, but about this time last year somebody going by the name "Super Sexy Erik" wrote similarly to this Erik, was about the same age, etc. He eventually was banned because he was making posts about his underage girlfriend that were, let's say, illegial.

I would not be surprised if it was the same person.

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 28th 2009 7:47PM]

Is it free right now?

[INNUENDO 64 Posted Jun 28th 2009 7:51PM]

i wouldn't even know if it weren't for this post. Ever since i put windows 7 on my computer, i haven't been able to install the zune software. ive tried so many things.

[Fenreir Posted Jun 28th 2009 8:04PM]

32-bit or 64? If you're using 64 try installing 32, I had some trouble with 64 but 32 bit seems to work fine

[INNUENDO 64 Posted Jun 28th 2009 8:10PM]

it's the 64-bit version, so naturally i only tried installing the 64-bit zune software. Thanks for the idea; ill give it a shot

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 28th 2009 11:00PM]

I have been having issues with June since their update last week.

I have a Zune pass and it looks like they lost a deal with several publishers, as I lost about 40 Albums, and others keep not playing saying they are having issues communicating with the server.

Epic Fail, I am thinking of just quitting Zune Pass and moving to Amazon or something, this happens after EVERY update they do.

[kojo87 Posted Jun 28th 2009 8:10PM]

why isn't the Thriller video available on Zune marketplace? i don't just mean for free i mean it doesn't exist. strange

[PGPProtectors Posted Jun 28th 2009 8:24PM]

Because their servers are acting up.
It's available for me as I type this.

Though their servers are also still showing that MJ is doing his tour.

[Gi Posted Jun 28th 2009 8:13PM]

horse faaace

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 28th 2009 8:29PM]

wheres the free Thriller video?

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 28th 2009 8:30PM]

wheres the free Thriller video? Zune Marketplace is working fine for me

[Arcaria Posted Jun 28th 2009 8:48PM]

No problems

[spin cycle Posted Jun 28th 2009 9:15PM]

What exactly is the Live money going to?

[Surrealchemist Posted Jun 29th 2009 4:32AM]

Microsoft?

[cbs31572 Posted Jun 28th 2009 9:37PM]

The last few days when I play Call of Duty World at War I keep getting told that I don't have the Map packs...well, I do. I have to go back and redownload the maps all over again (it takes like 3 seconds), but it sucks. I have had to do this for 3 days in a row now...come on Microsoft...get your ass in gear and fix this crap.

In addition, my console and menus are VERY slow and unresponsive at times, so that is another thing that they can fix.

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 29th 2009 9:01AM]

Graduate to, real gamer... get a PC.

[cbs31572 Posted Jun 29th 2009 9:56AM]

Hey Agent .25i - No thanks, I'll stay on Xbox Live with the 20+ million others who love gaming. Plus I don't have/want/need a WaW account. I also don't like having to update my machine every 2 months in order to play the latest games. You go right ahead Sparky and you pay $2000 for a machine that needs a $500 upgrade every 2 months and I'll stick to having fun on my $300 machine that will last 5+ years.

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 29th 2009 1:41PM]

$2000.00 Machines are for the weak. 5 years? Is this not an xbox we're talking about...
Ive had this machine 3 years now, not a penny in upgrades, and it will play all games currently available. Crysis being the most taxing (ATM), at approx 90% Max settings, @ 1920x1200 res. Ive got a couple more years of game play before an upgrade is needed.
Anyone who invests $500 every two months is either a complete tool, or is building on helluva machine.


"don't have the Map packs", "redownload", "it sucks", "fix this crap", "VERY slow", "unresponsive", "another thing that they can fix".
Sounds like you are having "fun". Do you enjoy beating yourself in the nads with a hammer too?

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 7th 2009 5:21PM]

My XBOX met the dreaded Red Ring of Death today, and I'm going to go ahead and blame it on the Marketplace too.

[ArcSyn Posted Jun 28th 2009 11:42PM]

They canceled the free download early. It was supposed to be through Sunday, PT, and it's not even Monday ET yet and I went to download it and it was 160MS points.

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 29th 2009 1:19AM]

no sever strain, Microsft is testing some new stuff for the up coming zune, market place, and....

[youroldgrandma Posted Jun 29th 2009 4:50AM]

It seems like the term TROLL is the new term that everyone is saying on the internet now. Cool.

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 29th 2009 5:51AM]

Yeah imagine my surprise when my card was empty!

Thanks Engadget for picking up my story. More info here as well: http://zunited.net/index.php/topic,9548.15.html

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 29th 2009 9:16AM]

honestly ... on a tech site what does Michael jackson have to do with anything??



also why does anyone care he is dead? uhh wasn't it just a few years ago.. i dunno HE WAS F*CKING CHILDREN AND EVERYONE HATED HIM?? ...or was that a different Michael

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 29th 2009 9:47AM]

You'd be surprised by the number of people who still insist that Michael has done know wrong. The guy has some very die-hard supporters behind him. So, no. Everyone didn't hate him.

Furthermore, I think some blame has to be put on the parents who keep sending their kids to MJ's place, leaving them unsupervised and letting them spend the freaking night.. Seriously. After one scandal you think they'd learn their lesson. It's not like he ran out into the street snatching up little boys. Nope. Parents kept sending their kids to his place. One can only wonder why.

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 29th 2009 5:53PM]

Sham-WOW!