"Microsoft Keeps Sending Us The French Version Of 'Mass Effect'"
Someone in Microsoft's fulfillment department needs to make a note that "Version Français" means, like, "this game is in French" or something:
My boyfriend bought Mass Effect for his Xbox 360, but within a month it was clear there was something wrong with the disc (frequent disc read errors occurred). Microsoft readily agreed to replace it, but every replacement they have sent has been in French. I’m writing to you 5 months and 4 French discs later!
At the beginning of January my boyfriend returned his faulty English version. Over the next month and a half he made 4 calls to Microsoft, where the status of his replacement oscillated between “It’s in the mail” to “have you sent the original yet?” His replacement finally arrived late February. He popped it in the Xbox and was all ready to play, but all the text seemed to be in French. Confused, he grabbed the case and found a green oval on the front that said, “Version Française.”
He phoned Microsoft and explained that he needed an English disc to replace the English disc he returned. They assured him that wouldn’t be a problem. The second replacement arrived quickly, but was also in French.
He phoned Miscrosoft again. They apologized and assured him that a specific note was in his file saying all replacements should be in English and the 3rd replacement would definitely be in English.
In April a 3rd replacement arrives. The case is damaged… and it’s also in French.
He phoned Microsoft. Again. They phoned back 3 or 4 times to say they were so sorry and that his issue would be escalated. Then someone phoned saying she was the manager and was on top of the situation. On May 11 they phoned to say the English replacement was on its way and should arrive in 3-5 days. On May 12 a package from Microsoft arrived. Inside: Mass Effect, Version Française.
I’ve attached a photo of our 4 French versions of Mass Effect. Despite escalating the complaint and involving a manager, Microsoft still sent a French disc. At this point we’re wondering if we’ll see an English version by mid-June, the half year anniversary of when he last got to play Mass Effect. My boyfriend may be moving soon so it’s important they get an English version in the mail. Any suggestions?
P.s. Anyone want a French copy of Mass Effect?
This is a test using rich text formatting and html links. It's the generic "company" ad that should appear on all posts with the Company category if they don't have an ad attached to a specific company.
Post a comment
Comments:
I'm surprised that you can't just pick a language from a menu. So many applications these days include all language packs in a single app.
Je ne parle pas français, mais un peu.
yes, but how do you fund the language screen if you don't know the current language?
This has got to be some kind of cruel joke.
Le Jackpot!!!!!
Le ebay!
"Microsoft Keeps Us Sending The French Version Of 'Mass Effect'"
is that supposed to be a funny headline?
Um...and we aren't selling 4 copies of a $60 game to buy one more copy because...?
It would have probably been quicker to learn french...
@GundamAC197: Proud new Wii60 Owner!:
Good luck selling a video game in a language that most folks in the country you live in don't speak fluently enough to enjoy.
Oh, and if you wanted to try it: the French word for "language" is langue; the word for "English" is anglais. (Sorry for the lack or accents, but you'll know them when you see them.)
As text and voice acting heavy as this game is, my guess is that it doesn't offer localizations. Certainly not on the French (probably aimed at the Canadian market) version. If this were a Euro version, maybe, but then it wouldn't work in his US / North American 360.
Please people - it's called the "Freedom" version of Mass Effect!
Please people - it's called the FREEDOM version of Mass Effect!
I know exactly how to help with this. What you need to do is Il ne s'agit là que peu de texte en ligne traduit de l'anglais vers le français. J'allais pour la blague ici. Désolé. J'aimerais avoir quelque chose d'utile à dire vous. Peut-être que la prochaine fois!
French Disk, is that some sort of wierd sexual kink, like a Dirty Sanchez?
The reason being is some of the call centers are in Canada.
See that little box at the top right...it says NTSC...change the language in the options menu...
Incompetence prevails...!
I hate all the bilingual versions we get here (I'm near Toronto) when NOBODY speaks french here. French is limited to Quebec, some parts of Ontario near Ottawa, and that's really about it, but we're stuck with it on everything, now including games.
They used to put a paper cover around the game that was in french, but now it's just bilingual completely, it sucks.
Why would you call MS for a new copy of the game? Where did you buy it?
Off the Mass Effect forums from a Technical Producer.
Here are the disk layouts as we understand them today:
ES (English or Spanish) for most of North America.
EFIGS (English, French, Italian, German, or Spanish) for most everyone else.
English, French, German, and Italian all have full VO. Spanish has English VO, Spanish text.
_______________________________________
The edition she has been receiving is the EFIGS disk. Unless I am misreading she said the text was in French not the voice overs. So go to the options and change the language.
@Ecks: "I do have to fine you. That will be a thousand dollars Canadian, or 10 American dollars if you prefer."
Boy, those were the days, weren't they?
Now watch him get a bill for those extra games!
@Ecks: It's Canadian law. The bilingual labeling is required. I'm not Canadian, but I prefer French to Spanish, hate the Imperial measurement system, and so I really like Canadian stuff since I can actually (mostly) read both of the labels, and I can tell instantly how much something weighs/contains since I know the metric system pretty well.
So that's why you are seeing bilingual labeling even though you are not in Quebec (which IS overwhelmingly French; I was there a few summers ago. But my French isn't anywhere near enough to figure out what "muebles" meant, so I had to peer into a window to realize that it meant "furniture (store)".
He may be able to play the french version in english, but it may have a French manual.
Since he paid for it, he deserves the same version he paid for.
Enough of this blame the consumer stuff...
@Buran: Mass Effect has a lot of dialog, all of it with voice overs. Most of the game data is just all the character dialogue.
Just a hunch, but I think games might be regionally coded (like DVDs). So, it's probably more than just setting the language preferences. Maybe Microsoft can send you a French Xbox 360?
Have they tried requesting the French version?
To clarify for the folks suggesting we just change the language preferences: the version they keep sending us is *entirely* in French. That means all the text and all the voice overs are in French. There is no English option.
@outinthedark: That post refers to the PC version. In a different post from last fall, the localization producer stated that there's no English on the French, German or Italian discs for the Xbox 360 version (no room). So no, it's not just a matter of setting an option.
Sell them on eBay and get a new copy in English?
But wait until Microsoft sends you about 10 more.
And currently it's pretty hard to find this game in French in Quebec...
I'm sure they swapped inventories by mistake.
@Ecks: For a company, it's just easier to mass product a bilingual version, than to make a bilingual one for Quebec, and English for Toronto. It's also less expensive.
Wow, I'll totally give this person an internet high-five if they can get it up to 10 french Mass Effects.
@Ecks: Oh no! What a wretched inconvenience to be forced to see a second language on packaging in addition to your own. Much worse than speaking French and not seeing your language at all.
Does your username / gamertag have the word 'gay' in it? That could be part of the problem, apparently.
Or maybe the word 'French' or 'France'?
Or 'fries'?
@Channing at 11:13 PM
"Wow, I'll totally give this person an internet high-five if they can get it up to 10 french Mass Effects."
*BEEP* "Acheivement Unlocked: Dix effets de masse!"
call them again and ask for a french version. Then they will send you the english version.
Ebay ftw. I gaurantee you there is some (possibly four) poor Quebecois exiled to the US looking for a copy of Effets de Masse in their beloved mother tongue. Can't hurt to try. Better than waiting another six months for MS to get their act together.
I'm betting the French version got dumped into the English version bin at the warehouse so Microsoft keeps ordering the English version from the warehouse, but the OP keeps getting the French version.
@Ecks: You seriously let little stuff like that bother you that much? Yeesh, is it so horrible that there's a little French on our products. And hey, if you ever manage to crawl out from under your bridge to Quebec, the products will still have English on them! See, it works both ways!
funny, had the same problem with Halo that was in the XBOX (original version) that I bought while living in France. I called Microsoft to ask if they could switch it for an English version (I am fluent in french but prefer to hear the original score). They agreed (which I though was pretty nice) but it took them 7! SEVEN tries to get me the english one --- anyone want a french version of XBOX halo? :-)
Well, I gotta say, that is a new one on me. I've heard of a few mix ups before, but they usually get sorted out and replaced right away. I'm not sure where the confusion comes in, but I can take care of the problem.
My name is Chris Priestly and I am part of BioWare's Community Team. We're the company that made Mass Effect and while we don't handle distribution and such, I can help you as this is a pretty wacky case.
I can send you a copy, in English, right away direct from here at BioWare HQ. All I need from you is your name, mailing address and phone number. Please don't post it here (not something I like to give out on open forums), instead, if you are interested, please email me at priest@bioware.com and pass on the info.
Sorry that this has happened (and more sorry that it keeps happening) but hopfully we can make it right for you. =)
I had this problem with a wireless keyboard. Apparently, Canadian French is the first in the list of languages and the CSRs have to jump through hoops to successfully change it. If they mess up, it defaults to the Canadian French. Ended up with three Canadian French keyboards and finally a (wrong model) English one. I didn't feel like fighting to get the right model after all that.
Hmm, the lesbian alien scene in French..