Xbox 360 with a lock for unpaid bills has been found. Microsoft MVP came to the aid of the player

The most infamous flaw of the Xbox 360 is, of course, the Red Ring of Death, which signaled one thing - without repair, the console was destined for the trash heap. However, there are some error messages that few have encountered, leaving many unsure how to resolve them. A service technician recently encountered an Xbox 360 displaying a message that the console was locked due to non-payment (see Tom’s Hardware).

Xbox 360 rendered unplayable because the player hasn't paid

On X, user Cody shared a screenshot of an unusual error his Xbox 360 displayed. The user tried to fix the console, but it proved impossible, and the device appeared to be permanently locked. In the comments, no one could offer a definitive solution; users speculated wildly, suggesting everything from replacing the HDD and checking offline gaming to trying the BadUpdate exploit.

Source: X: @DSKoopa

However, assistance came from someone with real expertise. Eric Marsi, a four-time Microsoft MVP recognized for his technical expertise and community support, explained that updating the console to version 17559 is enough to resolve the error. What caused it though? As the message indicated, the error was triggered by non-payment for a service tied to an action dating back to 2012 - 13 years ago.

Back then, in partnership with GameStop, Microsoft introduced a plan that let customers buy an Xbox 360 without paying the full price upfront. Initially, the player had to pay a fee ranging from $99 to $149, followed by two years of Xbox Live service payments (the equivalent of today’s Game Pass Core), which provided online connectivity for the console (see GamesRadar).

The console’s previous owner likely stopped paying for Xbox Live, which led to the device being blocked. However, as Eric Marsi explained, after the program ended, Microsoft wrote off the unpaid consoles as losses and issued an update that unlocked them. As a result, years later, someone could save money on their purchased Xbox.

It’s worth noting that a similar program was launched for the release of the Xbox Series X and S. The program, called Xbox All Access, provided a console along with access to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate as part of the promotion. Rather than paying the full price upfront, customers paid a monthly fee for two years, which varied by model. Did Microsoft also block devices under this plan if payments weren’t made? We may not find out until another 13 years pass.

• Xbox 360
• Xbox
• gaming