I have a beef so I will use today's blog to complain about Xbox and MLB.TV. First Xbox, while it is technically my box, it was bought from my credit card, it was a gift for my son. But the result of being honest and putting his true birthdate on the account has been more problematic than helpful. Microsoft and their Xbox machine may think that they are preventing underage usage of certain apps and games, but it only works to prevent all from enjoying the full capabilities of the machine. And according to Microsoft, birth date once entered can never be altered.
Some may argue that it provides security from buying or playing certain games. That is not true. Those in the know all ready know to not use a true birth date; honest folks only learn later that they have lost their own parental right to determine what their child can or cannot play. Game Stop asks me each time my son wants to buy a Mature game if I approve; Microsoft does not. And it is my credit card info and my password that should enable me to allow or not allow any online download.
So my recent hassle with Xbox concerned our MLB.TV subscription. I can play my baseball games on the iPad but to play them on the Xbox was not nearly as easy. It seems that my son's birthdate has once again stopped us from enjoying content. You see, no one under the age of 18 can have an MLB subscription on Xbox. My MLB subscription, my son's LIVE Xbox subscription don't match. Who knew that baseball games were now considered "for mature audiences only". And so, we were back to watching the baseball game on the iPad and disappointed that the Xbox MLB TV app would not function properly.
So my advice to all parents buying a Xbox for their child; use your birthdate not your childs. Make them 40 and then you can be the one to ultimately decide what you want them to play and watch on their Xbox account. And I am left trying to teach my son not to lie, except to Xbox.
