Call of Duty: Black Ops III Xbox issues spell trouble for Microsoft
Many Xbox One players remain locked out of the multiplayer beta test of the big-budget shooter, Call of Duty: Black Ops III
Beta testing has begun for the latest instalment of one of the world's biggest video games, Call of Duty, but many Xbox One players have found themselves excluded from the sneak peek, due to downloading issues.
Call of Duty: Black Ops III went live successfully across PS4 and PC, offering fans a chance to look behind the curtain of the forthcoming edition of the first-person shooter. But many Xbox One fans have found themselves unable to get online.
Despite a fix being offered by one enterprising YouTuber, many players remain unable to get the codes required to enter the game, The Independent reports.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Microsoft updated its status page yesterday, with a message promising to fix the issue as swiftly as possible. "Hey Xbox members, we are aware that some of you may be experiencing issues redeeming your beta tokens for Call of Duty: Black Ops III," the site said. "We are working closely with our partner to get this resolved ASAP!"
Call of Duty remains one of the dominant forces in modern gaming, with a huge fan base matched only by that of a handful of other games such as the anarchic Grand Theft Auto series and the dominant Fifa football franchise.
The annual update of Call of Duty is a huge event on the entertainment calendar, accompanied by an advertising campaign bigger than that for most blockbuster movies. Each instalment of Call of Duty also generates billions in revenues for Call of Duty's publisher Activision.
This makes the problems some players have been experiencing a significant issue for Microsoft, whose latest console, the Xbox One, continues to lag well behind Sony's next generation console, the PS4.
According to Forbes, a "workaround" solution has now been found which should let most players into the Call of Duty Beta.
YouTuber, Alvix99 FULL HD, posted a video explaining that entry codes can be made to work by logging in using an Xbox account (rather than an Xbox One account) and changing the region to Brazil.
The beta test of the highly anticipated game began on August 26 and will run until August 31.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
4 ways to give back this holiday season
The Explainer If your budget is feeling squeezed, remember that money is not the only way you can be generous around the holidays
By Becca Stanek, The Week US Published
-
4 tips for hosting an ecofriendly Thanksgiving
The Week Recommends Coming together for the holidays typically produces a ton of waste, but with proper preparation, you can have an environmentally friendly gathering.
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
Jussie Smollet conviction overturned on appeal
Speed Read The Illinois Supreme Court overturned the actor's conviction on charges of staging a racist and homophobic attack against himself in 2019
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
How cybercriminals are hacking into the heart of the US economy
Speed Read Ransomware attacks have become a global epidemic, with more than $18.6bn paid in ransoms in 2020
By The Week Staff Last updated
-
Language-learning apps speak the right lingo for UK subscribers
Speed Read Locked-down Brits turn to online lessons as a new hobby and way to upskill
By Mike Starling Published
-
Brexit-hobbled Britain ‘still tech powerhouse of Europe’
Speed Read New research shows that UK start-ups have won more funding than France and Germany combined over past year
By Mike Starling Published
-
Playing Cupid during Covid: Tinder reveals Britain’s top chat-up lines of the year
Speed Read Prince Harry, Meghan Markle and Dominic Cummings among most talked-about celebs on the dating app
By Joe Evans Last updated
-
Brits sending one less email a day would cut carbon emissions by 16,000 tonnes
Speed Read UK research suggests unnecessary online chatter increases climate change
By Joe Evans Published
-
Reach for the Moon: Nokia and Nasa to build 4G lunar network
Speed Read Deal is part of the US space agency’s plan to establish human settlements on the lunar surface
By Mike Starling Last updated
-
iPhone 12 launch: what we learned from the Apple ‘Hi, Speed’ event
Speed Read Tech giant unveils new 5G smartphone line-up
By Mike Starling Last updated
-
Russian agency behind US election meddling ‘created fake left-wing news site’
Speed Read Facebook says real reporters were hired by fake editors to write about US corruption
By Holden Frith Published