RIP Xbox Fitness: Users Will Soon Lose Access To Workout Videos They Bought (arstechnica.com)

insitus quotes a report from Ars Technica: Xbox users who purchased training videos through the Xbox Fitness app probably thought they were buying a workout program they'd be able to use regularly for the life of the Xbox One, at the very least. Instead, those videos will soon be completely unavailable to those who paid for them up front, according to a "sunset" plan announced by Microsoft yesterday evening. Xbox Fitness first launched in late 2013 with the console, offering a Kinect-powered health app that uses the 3D camera to evaluate users' form as they perform the exercises demoed by on-screen video trainers. The app, which provided 30 basic routines for free with an Xbox Live Gold account, will be coming to an end on December 15. The paid content associated with the app will also no longer be available for purchase, and those who purchased it previously will be able to use it for over one more year before the app becomes completely unavailable to download or use on July 1, 2017. What some have found especially upsetting with the news is that Microsoft has yet to announce any plans to compensate users who have paid for content or to provide downloadable versions of paid workouts that can be used after the phase-out date. Thus, many upset users have taken to the sunset announcement post and various other outlets to speak their mind on the situation. "I bought 140$+ worth of content just this year... I don't want a refund, I want to be able to continue to use what I PAID for !!!!!!!!!!!" Xbox Live user QuickSilver wrote.

Comments

Re:They didn't buy it

[Mashiki]

They bought a license to let them use it. This is why I don't buy anything in the cloud, if I don't have the physical media then the thing I "bought" can go away at any time.

Depends on where you live. Come to Canada? You indeed did "buy a copy for personal use" and so on. Think AUS(probably a few others too) has a similar law on the books, so yeah these people are being defrauded.

Re:Microsoft announcement: "content youâ(TM)v

[Anonymous Coward]

This could be entertaining in New Zealand, as it looks as if it probably contravenes the Consumer Guarantees Ac (CGA). Which says, goods and services must be as described, and furthermore explicitly prohibits small print from saying otherwise.

No contracting out
Sellers cannot exempt themselves from their obligations under the Act, even if they put it in a contract.

The Act is enforced by the Commerce Commission (a Government body). The Commission can take traders to court if it thinks they have breached the Act. (And it does)

And no, MS can't say that the governing law is Washington state, USA. Well, they can, but it has no effect (see above), and doing so is itself an offence under the act.

That is, if a consumer might reasonably expect that this constituted a sale (and legal precedent in NZ under the CGA has established that means an average, not very well informed consumer), then it's a sale. And Microsoft has a presence in New Zealand and can certainly be fined. The fines are substantial and per incident, so as to discourage writing them off as a cost of doing business.

Disclaimer: I have no idea if this service was even sold in New Zealand. And if it was, it is important to know who sold it. If it was the local games retailer, then they are liable. If it was through Microsoft's on-line store, then they bear responsibility.