Rumor: Dead or Alive 4 glitch killing game saves?

  • By thorsen-ink, GameSpot
  • Posted Jan 10, 2006 2:55 pm PT

Source: A rather irate post on the GameSpot Forums. The official story: See below. What we heard: Originally slated to be a 360 launch title, Dead or Alive 4's release date was pushed back for weeks, until it finally hit the market on December 29. The repeated postponements caused many to suspect...

Source: A rather irate post on the GameSpot Forums.

The official story: See below.

What we heard: Originally slated to be a 360 launch title, Dead or Alive 4's release date was pushed back for weeks, until it finally hit the market on December 29. The repeated postponements caused many to suspect that the game was either (a) having problems with supply or (b) having trouble passing Microsoft's certification for the 360.

The latter theory got more ammo last week, when a forum thread titled "WARNING: DOA4 has a major glitch" popped up on GameSpot's community. The original poster, gintheplacetobe, said that he had spent hours going through all the story modes and unlocking almost all the characters. "I played a few more sessions after that, and then booted up the game again only to find out that all of my [DOA4] save data was gone," wrote gintheplacetobe. "All of my unlocked characters, costumes, leader-board achievements, online ranking, ALL GONE!"

Was gintheplacetobe's experience an isolated case of bad luck, or a more widespread problem? After a several-day lag, a Tecmo rep indicated that there is a problem with some copies of the game. "We're aware of the issue you're referring to," the rep told GameSpot. "We're working to identify and resolve the potential problem with the technical folks at Microsoft." The rep said a patch would be coming soon.

So what can DOA4 players do in the meantime to ensure their hard-fought DOA4 victories don't vanish into thin air? Tecmo technical support says to do the following: (1) With your copy of DOA4 already inserted, turn on your 360 by pressing the "open tray" button. (2) Wait until all the information from your Gamer Profile is fully displayed on your Gamer Card, including achievements and other awards. (3) Close the tray again with DOA4 still inserted. If problems still occur, e-mail Tecmo technical support at help@tecmoinc.com.

Bogus or not bogus?: Not bogus.

192 Comments

  • S_ii_IM_O_IN_Ix

    Posted Apr 16, 2009 3:25 pm PT

    If this happens to you, im not sure about losing your achievements, i lose all my costumes and unlock chars, what you have to do is go onto the xbox dashboard, go to your Console Settings and Click on Memory Choose game Dead Or Alive 4 Make sure there is NO corrupt saved files, if there is delete them and try re loading the came, should work

  • blind59

    Posted Oct 18, 2006 9:00 pm PT

    not bogus

  • s1rius

    Posted Aug 1, 2006 8:47 pm PT

    WOW! All I can say is WOW! I was had this glitch happen to me too. It started last night, and I've had the game for only for 4 days or so. My Xbox is brand new and was just bought by my fiancee 3 weeks ago. We we both wondering why we would always lose our saved movies and unlocked characters.Finally today it just froze at the DOA4 "press start" screen" EVERYTIME. The game is now broken. (odd since I thought DVDs were Read Only Memory). We're in Edmonton CANADA, and this doesn't look like an isolated incident. How could something like this be released?

  • Iggits

    Posted Jul 24, 2006 2:14 am PT

    I don't understand. I lost all I've unlocked in doa4 but I still have them in my gamer profile as acivments. It sucks having to do everything allover again does anyone know when the patch will come?

  • MasterSparky

    Posted Mar 5, 2006 4:07 pm PT

    Yeah, twice to me, i havent signed in any other profiles and its been fine, so thats where the problem lies I think. Does anyone know if the recent update has been the fixing of this??? I need to know so I can fight my friends again, as its been a one player game till now

  • xDiesel9x

    Posted Mar 4, 2006 9:35 pm PT

    The glitch is 100% real!! It happened to me and I lost everything!! I was so aggravated!! It also corrupted my profile and I lost all my profile data!! I had to download it from XBOX Live several times before it stuck!! I spoke to Microsoft who admitted the glitch was real and was causing problems with the profile and some type of compatability problem!! I also spoke with Tecmo who told me the same thing!! They said they were working with Microsoft to fix it!! I hope the recent Xbox Live update was the patch for this problem! Its a great game but I am afraid to play it!!!

  • diablo1000000

    Posted Mar 3, 2006 5:37 am PT

    You know, my mate has lost ALL of his DOA4 costumes/characters/settings etc TWICE now... the second time after almost unlocking everything.

    Not pleased at all! So much for the 'next generation'.

  • MasterSparky

    Posted Feb 21, 2006 12:27 am PT

    Yeah, happened yet again, and i didnt sign anyone in or out. This is stupid. Whens it getting sorted out!!

  • uberninjakendig

    Posted Feb 19, 2006 12:36 am PT

    My files got deleted. Although I was mad at the time I realized, I now have an excuse to play the game more. I love DOA4

  • DanteDiPasquale

    Posted Feb 17, 2006 8:04 pm PT

    This 'glitch' as they call it JUST happened to me. I started the game up and it asked me to select a save device. I logged off and then back to check and yeah... all my unlocks were gone. Though my Achievements are all still intact. ~shrugs~ Just waiting for the patch.

    In spite of what many people argue -- the system has potential and a few of the games out are fantastic (DoA included -- if you LIKE DoA as a series you'll like this). I plan on getting a PS3 and perhaps a Revolution.

    I've come to the conclusion that the system war only amounts to one thing -- better games. In that light I ditched my die hard Sony fandom and took on a far more liberal approach. Give me games and I'll follow.

  • MasterSparky

    Posted Feb 13, 2006 2:38 pm PT

    Yep, mines just done it. Had a lot of costumes and Just about to unlock the last guy!! Im well pissed off!!! Its really made me lose intrest in the game now. I thought it had been patched. I have a feeling it did it when My mate signed in at the same time as me. Its cleared the lot. Still have the achivments though. Im gutted took days, sent a email to the support line thingy. What an waste of time. Just be careful guys.

  • zuby12

    Posted Feb 11, 2006 11:49 pm PT

    Yeah I spent like 5 hours on the game and all of a sudden it all got erased , this is so crappy.

  • Vicious_Kittens

    Posted Feb 9, 2006 7:47 pm PT

    It happened to me. I had unlocked everyone but Tengu and had 80% of the costumes. I had burned a good 30 hrs playing this game solo, and tonight I decided to play vs with my son. A few hours later I go to play again and it asked my where I would like to save my game! Everything, GONE!

    I had just bought the DOA 4 Arcade Stick a few days ago and have barely broke it in, but I am afraid to play the damn game again until a patch is released!

    90% of the posts on the XBOX forums (including mine) point to signing in multiple profiles to play VS mode as the culprit.

  • SnakemaycryX

    Posted Feb 3, 2006 6:42 pm PT

    [This message was deleted at the request of the original poster]

  • hatchetman696

    Posted Jan 29, 2006 5:56 pm PT

    I just had this probelm w/ just hitting over 10hours of play...they should let us download what we should have.

  • daveyboy001

    Posted Jan 29, 2006 11:26 am PT

    I wish I had known about this issue before. I unlocked everything, and turned it on today to see no secret characters were available etc. The strange thing is that under my achievements on the X-Box dashboard it still shows exactly what characters I ahve unlocked etc.
    Is there going to be a way to get these achievements back or what? Anyone talked to Tecmo support? Have a solution?

  • djpete1

    Posted Jan 29, 2006 1:52 am PT

    Man I wish I knew about this before yesterday! I am in the UK and we got DOA 4 friday just gone.

    I sat all friday playing DOA and unlocked all the characters and had all the basic costumes.

    Anyway I played it saturday morning and was about to unlock the 10hrs play but I had to go shopping. On arrival home run up the game and everything was gone!

    To be honest I dont think I want to do it al again for it to erase again.

    BE WARNED PEOPLE THIS IS A REAL PROBLEM.

  • kctree

    Posted Jan 25, 2006 12:57 pm PT

    No fight game is really worthy of a purchase anymore. The gameplay is too static and the things that you unlock are just not satisfying. The story mode should be called "25 seconds of meaningless cinema added" mode. It was fun to rent. Beautiful graphics and fast gameplay. You can beat up people online for a few hours. Then it becomes hard work to stay interested.

  • SameOlSameOl

    Posted Jan 23, 2006 4:52 pm PT

    My game is perfectly fine and i love it. DOA4 is my favourite game so far. Whoever said they were returning it cause it was bad....i should slap you right now! I feel sorry for everyone who got real far then had all there info erased. Good Luck with that.

    DOA4 SURVIVAL CHAMPION!!!!!!not really but sorta.....
    No one can stop HAYATE!

  • BanryuuX

    Posted Jan 21, 2006 6:02 pm PT

    The glitch happened to me as well, and it has nothing to do with someone else's profile switching with yours or whatever bs people come up with assuming everyone who experiences the glitch just panics and starts talkin' smack to M$ employees who don't even have anything to do with the problem ect. And don't bother on buying a memory card to whoever said it would be a good investment, since you can't copy your save to it, team ninja doesn't allow this I found out...

  • Chrono324

    Posted Jan 21, 2006 7:16 am PT

    that's way the dead or alive 4 did not come with my 360

  • mathman1988

    Posted Jan 20, 2006 7:01 am PT

    I had that very same problem I lost all of my data after unlocking every single thing in the game. I was infuriated becuase I had spent so much money on this wonderful new system for it not to work. I thought it was an inherent problem in the 360 so i took mine back after waiting in line all night in the freezing cold to get one. I am so dissapointed because i was looking foreward to this games release for months I really hope they get this problem fixed. I sometimes also loose all of my information on other profiles does anyone else have that problem?

  • vandensd

    Posted Jan 19, 2006 7:05 pm PT

    I had completed all characters story modes, unlocked Helena and cleared her story mode, started working on all costumes, and spent a crap load of time on one time trial game because you have to win two for three and the last stage is alpha-152. Just had people over last night and played with my unlockables and this afternoon the save file disappeared. I woud like to think it isn't a 360 technical issue because it's not like this is happening with every game, although I've heard a similar occurence for COD2. I hope if it's the game that they recall it and I get a replacement.

  • lozandier

    Posted Jan 17, 2006 10:17 pm PT

    As for the person right in the beginning about people with out the hardrive screwed, actually they are not even harmed by this glitch, it's mainly Xbox Live Gold Players. I haven't had this problem and my 4 other brothers have their own seperate profiles and this has not happen to them once (even when the disc was already in there when they turn it on, my lil bro tends to never take game discs out) and Never had this problem. I think what will make this glitch never happen if you take off the Auto Sign in Option, and most likely the problem if it has happened to you won't happen again.

  • lozandier

    Posted Jan 17, 2006 10:11 pm PT

    I haven't got this glitch, It's just like the Xbox 360 defects, it happens to unfortunate people..... My game was a preordered copy and never had a problem. ... and people who are waiting for a "patch", it likely won't ever hit the news and most copies don't have this problem, I mean it's probably like a 4-5% percent chance of having this glitch with your copy just like Xbox 360 defect while 95-96 are not affected at all. Wow look at that majority....And most people don't play fighting games that much for the glitch to hurt them much anyways and it's not like it's not easy to do again.. but it would be bad to do everything again.

    It seems this problem happens when you leave the game in the tray open, and if you ever read your manuals of your console in past gen, you don't leave your Disc in the disc tray for long periods of time; not saying the people this happen deserve this if this was the case but it could be like the "disc scratching" ""Defect"" which really wasn't, people don't read their manuals before playing their 360, then stupidly move the consoel to vertical to horizontal (Did they ever think that the disc might even fall out of its place/get damaged doing this?) I don't leave a game disc on my 360 unless I'm REALLY Sleepy but I won't be on a console playing during this...

  • Bass7

    Posted Jan 17, 2006 7:37 pm PT

    PRGundam calm down you're not the only one that can't get the 360. i have to wait and everytime they say thy're in when i get there they're out. and i live less than 10-34 minutes away from Microsoft and Nintendo

  • jakeboudville

    Posted Jan 17, 2006 7:15 pm PT

    If it kills of the game save, then i'm not buying it

  • Chelise

    Posted Jan 17, 2006 1:45 pm PT

    I wont get Dead or ALive 4 till they have fixed the problem so I don't have to worry about this saving problem. I hope they come out with the same game without the problem. If they don't this may be one game I wont buy till they fix it. I wont buy something that doesn't work how it is made to be.

  • GunstarBlue7

    Posted Jan 16, 2006 1:07 pm PT

    That **** isn't False. It happened to me and my brother Twice. We do what it says to ensure it doesn't happen again.

  • artcross

    Posted Jan 15, 2006 9:15 am PT

    damn, thought I was safe, but woke up this morning to find all my hidden characters and costumes gone. I don't mind so much b/c it was fun getting them, but I hope they fix this soon...if anyone can help, I have a HD, not a memory card. Thanks!

  • mezonesxbox

    Posted Jan 14, 2006 10:06 pm PT


    Mine is fine....... Yeah!!! : P

  • blindluck68

    Posted Jan 14, 2006 1:31 pm PT

    Yeah 2 bad i found this out when i had 1 person left to beat it with... :I ARRRRRRRRRRRGHHHHHHHH

  • Tobbz

    Posted Jan 14, 2006 1:25 pm PT

    earoblast, I'd really like to see your sources. Give me a link to these "proven facts". People don't play this game for the story either. Single player isn't that great. It's the replayability and the online gaming that makes it good. Can you become an SS in less than 7 days? I consider that as truely "beating" the game.

  • AznPB

    Posted Jan 13, 2006 2:52 pm PT

    the way i see it, if it erases your data its an even better reason to keep playing. some people get tired of playing fighting games cause supposedly it gets repetative after you beat it and have everything. at least now, if it erases your data then dont be lazy...get it back...

  • earoblast

    Posted Jan 13, 2006 2:33 am PT

    WHAT THE HECK IS THIS!!!???
    I have realised that all the DOA games are short and it's possible to finish this game in under 7 days...and all that hype was for nothing..its a good thing i didnt take part in it...its been proven that 67/100 doa 4 owners only by it for the GIRLS which when the maker of this game got dumped by one...he thought ''well i can make my own chick simulation and put boys so nobody suspects its not really for the fighting..hehe''....its just a thought though...deep down inside i now you all whant it for the girls.

  • muhahha

    Posted Jan 12, 2006 7:46 pm PT

    I am sorry 2 hear that people's saves got erased but i found 1 solution 2 fix it well... this is how i fixed mines... as long as u have ur stats and customes and whatever u have is their that means its save its having problems loading it so here's what ya do if u have a memory card still trying 2 figure out harddrives...u take out the memory card and then insert it and wait till it ask u do u want 2 put ect on it and u do wait till ur profile appears and bingo u have all of ur stuff their i hope it works for u as it worked for me.

  • kmx_411

    Posted Jan 12, 2006 7:37 pm PT

    I SLEPT OVER AT FUTURE SHOP TO GET A 360 , DIS SUKS AND NOW MY DOA FILES R AT RISK AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

  • wes_less

    Posted Jan 12, 2006 5:16 pm PT

    ha ha! stupid microsoft

  • tempest135

    Posted Jan 12, 2006 4:13 pm PT

    I had problems and like someone above said if your signed into xbox live when you unlock something, it makes no difference. I can stare at my achievements till i'm blue in the face, the game still doesn't load anything.... this happened when I was away after my buddy made his own profile in doa4... im pissed off.

  • mardigrasmorgan

    Posted Jan 12, 2006 12:09 pm PT

    console games getting patched.... I Love it...... lol

  • microwaveman

    Posted Jan 11, 2006 10:02 pm PT

    haha, lame.

  • KingJGregory

    Posted Jan 11, 2006 7:12 pm PT

    I thought it was my heighbor that messed up my files but at least my achievments didn't get messed up.

  • vaejas

    Posted Jan 11, 2006 7:09 pm PT

    Patches galore? This is how Microsoft works, period. The free Silver Live membership all makes sense now. So yeah, assuming a person got the lower priced SKU with no HDD... guess they're SOL. Any report on losing saves with no HDD and just a memory card? It's always amusing to see "some copies of the game" being reported as a problem. I can understand different manufacturing runs, and different localizations, but more than one gold disc of code? Looking forward to some industry insight in the fallout of this.

  • D4rThx_xR3Lik

    Posted Jan 11, 2006 6:57 pm PT

    Dead or Alive was pssing off, it was erasing my game saves right and left!

  • DeadBite

    Posted Jan 11, 2006 6:37 pm PT

    Well this rumor is really true.
    Why do I say this?
    because it just happen to me, yep I even did what this story told me to do and now. All my hard work gone, well I am trading in this game tomorrow.
    It's like everytime I start to really like my 360 it spits in my face with bullcrap like this. My advice to people that have trhe game, don't play it till the patch comes out. Oh and for some reason I couldn't make a copy of my DOA4 game saves on to a memory card. Thanks alot tecmo, it was a great game till someone messed it up.

  • JussCaca

    Posted Jan 11, 2006 6:03 pm PT

    it miss up my file grrrrrrrrrr ohwell it was a gife =)

  • CMakaCreative

    Posted Jan 11, 2006 4:56 pm PT

    If this was Halo 2, this would have been patched with in the hour. I've unlocked everyone except one person (final boss, blue chic). Is she unlockable. Last person I unlock was the Master Chief look-a-like Nicole. So far so good but now I'm scared to play the game cause I'm not the biggest fighting game fan, so if my saves get erased, the game will be sold. I'm not going through all that again. I'm not that good to begin with.

  • joeamis

    Posted Jan 11, 2006 2:12 pm PT

    This is starting to get out of hand with various 360 titles, such as PGR3 online achievement, COD2 save glitch, KK CRT glitch, and now this. These games should not be released until they're perfected. We don't need what's happened with PC games where you will need a patch to have it run correctly... I've owned a 360 since launch and don't want the HD being used as a way to patch games that should've been fine at release.

  • VFA-102

    Posted Jan 11, 2006 1:27 pm PT

    Awesome game. The 360 is one of the best things I have ever spent my money on. I just hope that I don't run into this little glitch. Oh, and while there only seems to be small improvement over DOAU, go back and play then compare the 2. DOA4's small improvements add up up to one hell of a leap over the last one.

  • Megadanxzero

    Posted Jan 11, 2006 1:04 pm PT

    Using the hard-drive as an excuse to release unfinished games? I was afraid of this...

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