Microsoft may compensate Xbox Live users affected by recent downtime

Microsoft's Xbox Live, the network that powers the company's console and PC gaming platforms, has had something of a tough start to 2016. Issues with the service cropped up in January and then again in February. In some cases, the issues blocked players from downloading and even playing their games. Even Snoop Dogg wasn't happy, saying in a video, "What the **** is you doin', Bill Gates?!"

Now, a Reddit thread titled "Has Microsoft Even Thought About Compensation for the Last 2 Weeks?" has popped up, generating much discussion and more than 500 comments so far. The author of the thread is rallying for Microsoft to offer some kind of compensation package, possibly a free week of Xbox Live Gold, as a make-good effort for the struggles.

Microsoft's Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb has now responded to the thread. He said he's shared some of the "more thoughtful" suggestions raised in the thread to the right parties at Microsoft. He made no promises about a compensation package, but went on to say that, when he returns from travelling, he plans to have one-on-one meetings with the Xbox team to determine what might be possible.

"I've taken some of the more thoughtful comments and shared them with a few folks on the Xbox team to make them aware of this request," he said (via GamingBolt). "That's about all I've got right now--but when I am back in the office I am going to stop by and chat 1:1 with some folks about this as well."

If Microsoft does indeed offer some form of compensation, it wouldn't be the first time the company had done so for issues related to Xbox Live. In 2014, Microsoft gave out a free week of Xbox Live Gold as a make-up effort for problems that affected Xbox One on Titanfall's launch day.

For its part, Sony has also been known to compensate users with membership extensions when PlayStation Network goes down.