Got a question? Hopefully we’ve got an answer. We've broken it down into sections for easy clicking. Skip to the page that has the stuff you want to know most, or read them all to unlock the OXM Ultimate Knowledge achievement.

Page 1: You're readin' it
Page 2: Subscription Stuff
Page 3: Disc Stuff
Page 4: Magazine Stuff
Page 5: Podcast Stuff
Page 6: Staff Stuff

This FAQ will be updated as necessary with more information. Special thanks to The Dagda Mor for helping put it all together.

SUBSCRIPTION STUFF

Q – I never got the last issue. How do I get a replacement?
Q – I am moving and I need to change my address. Where do I send that info?
Q – I want to cancel my subscription. How do I do that?

A – Most questions can be resolved at our Customer Service page -- http://oxmonline.com/customerservice -- and we strongly recommend using that first, and we think you will find the solution to your concern there!

If you prefer paper mail, any questions or concerns regarding subscriptions must be sent to:

Official Xbox Magazine
Customer Care
P.O. Box 5156
Harlan, IA 51593-0656
Phone: 515-248-7682 (this is not a toll-free call; long-distance charges apply -- and this number is only for subscription questions or problems)
Email: BOXcustserv@cdsfulfillment.com (be sure to include your name, address and account number for faster service. Your account number is located on the top left corner of your mailing label)

Q – Can I access my subscription information online?
A – Sure. Go to our Customer Service page and fill in the appropriate information. You’ll be able to see the current status of your account, the current mailing address, all that stuff.

Q – Other people seem to get their issues long before I do. Sometimes I see OXM on the newsstand before it shows up in my mailbox. What’s the deal?
A – Many subscribers report that they get the issue before it goes on sale on the newsstands, but this is neither predictable nor promised. When the issues are created and shipped out, they all leave the printing plant in the Midwest at the same time. The journey from there to your mailbox can be delayed or sped up by any number of factors, not the least of which is that magazines are often prioritized for delivery differently than first-class mail by the local post offices. If you are consistently receiving your magazine late, contact your local carrier or postmaster first and inquire about the delay, then contact OXM customer service.

Q – When is my issue considered “late” enough for me to file a complaint?
A – All issues are considered “late” on the last day of each month.  In other words, your December issue would not be considered late (and in need of replacement) until December 31.

Page 1: Welcome to the FAQ
Page 2: Subscription Stuff
Page 3: Disc Stuff
Page 4: Magazine Stuff
Page 5: Podcast Stuff
Page 6: Staff Stuff

DISC STUFF

Q – My disc is damaged or missing. How do I get a replacement?
A – You may request a replacement by visiting http://www.futureus.com and clicking on the Disc Replacement section. You do not need to be a subscriber to obtain a replacement disc, but be aware that all email addresses and names corresponding to a replacement are recorded and tracked for inventory purposes. Only 3 replacements in one calendar year are accepted. In some cases exceptions are made. Please be sure and fill out the entire request form, as requests with single names or missing address information will be deleted from the system immediately.

Q – My disc looks fine but it doesn’t work. I have heard about “boiling” discs to make them play. What’s all that about?
A – Strange as it sounds, this has been very successful for a large number of people whose demo discs seem fine but don’t load correctly. During manufacturing, some discs don’t get a complete rinse, so some residue, while transparent, can be thick enough to trick the laser of your Xbox into thinking the disc is unreadable. To remove that residue, boil a small pot of water, drop the disc in for 15 seconds or so, remove it and pat it dry. Make sure it’s entirely dry before you put it into your Xbox. Again, this is advice that’s come from our readers, and we do not officially endorse this course of action -- we’re passing it on because readers have told us they did it and it worked. So if you have any doubts about doing this, it’s better to contact Future for a replacement.

Q – As a subscriber, I only get the white paper sleeve. Why does the newsstand version come with a plastic case and mine doesn’t?
A – While we would like to make the plastic "thin paks" available to all customers, due to warehouse and mailing restrictions set down by the postal system, it is not possible for us provide "thin paks" to subscribers at this time. It’s also part of the trade-off for the $95 annual savings that subscribers enjoy when compared to newsstand prices.

Q - I still want the "thin paks." How can I get them?
A – By calling 1-800-865-7240. The cost is $19.95 for a 12-month supply. Please have your credit card ready. Alternately, you can download printable color PDF files from officialxboxmagazine.com and create your own. The PDF sleeves are updated periodically, and we try to make sure the current issue's sleeve is available for download by the issue's official in-store on-sale date.

Q - Where can I buy the clear "thin pak" DVD cases? My local store only has black ones.
A - The Memorex Slim DVD Video cases are dead ringers that will give your collection a uniform look. They are sold in 25-packs, which is good for two years of discs. If you can't find them at local stores, try Amazon.

Q – I am a subscriber, but I don’t get a demo disc at all. Why not?
A – What you have is what is termed an Agent Order. Subscriptions ordered through third-party agents (such as school fundraisers and some Internet subscription services) do not include the monthly game disc. If you find yourself subscribed with one of these and want to upgrade, you can for an extra $1 per issue for each remaining issue. Just contact Customer Service.

Q - Why does the OXM Game Disc only play on 360?
A - Progress! Game developers have moved on to Xbox 360, and our demo disc followed suit. The Holiday 2006 disc was the last hybrid disc, roughly a year after the 360 came out and the Xbox had ceased production.

Q – What’s OXM Universe?
A – It’s a progressively developed game available exclusively on every OXM Game Disc from the April 2007 issue on. You can find out a lot more about it in its own forum and its own FAQ.

Page 1: Welcome to the FAQ
Page 2: Subscription Stuff
Page 3: Disc Stuff
Page 4: Magazine Stuff
Page 5: Podcast Stuff
Page 6: Staff Stuff

MAGAZINE STUFF

Q – What exactly does the “Official” mean in “Official Xbox Magazine?” Like, do you have to print what Microsoft tells you? Can I even trust your reviews?
A – Just like any game publisher that makes Xbox games, Future US has signed a licensing agreement with Microsoft to publish the official Xbox magazine, cleverly titled Official Xbox Magazine. In addition to delivering the exclusive monthly demo disc, OXM’s status as the official source for Xbox info frequently results in inside information and exclusive access to stories. That doesn’t mean that Microsoft tells us what to write or how to score the games we review.

Everyone at OXM is a fan of Xbox, obviously, but we take our responsibility to the readers very seriously. The magazine would be worthless if it wasn’t telling the truth and we never want to betray that trust. All due respect to Microsoft, but our loyalty as a magazine is to Xbox gamers. The proof is in the pages -- we’ve got more than five years of positive and negative game reviews to back up our non-biased stance. Also, check out our Mission Statement in the magazine -- it’s directly under the letter from the editor near the front of each issue.

Q – How many times is Official Xbox Magazine published?
A - We publish 13 issues per year (Jan-Dec, plus a special holiday issue which comes out between December and January). Throughout the year there are additional issues released, such as Xbox Live Gamer, The Ultimate Xbox Buyers Guide, and the Xbox Cheat Guide. These special issues are available only at newsstands.

Q – Can I purchase back issues?
A – Of course. You may purchase back issues by visiting our webstore at http://shop.futureus.com or by phone (within US) at 1-800-865-7240. (Note: This number is not for any subscription problems or questions; they do not have access to your account information here. For subscription problems, see the first question in the FAQ.) You must have a valid credit card for online and phone orders. If you'd like to mail in your order and pay by check, please send the item name, issue date (if applicable) along with a check to the following address:

Future US Store
PO BOX 6163
Harlan, IA 51593-1663

Please include your shipping/return address with your order. Orders will ship once your check has cleared. Future US is not responsible for illegible orders or lost orders and checks.

Q – Why does the magazine have more ads and less pages than it used to?
A – Because your memory is faulty--sorry, but it's true! From the start, the magazine has always been 96 pages plus the four-page cover. Sometimes, particularly around the holidays when a lot of games come out, the issue size goes up because more advertisers buy ad pages. That money pays for their space as well as extra editorial pages for those issues. So occasionally you'll see issues go higher than 100 pages -- the November 2005 issue, right before the 360 launch, went to 144 pages! -- but that's not the standard. As for the higher number of ads, that's also a myth; each issue has an ad-to-edit ratio that usually falls between 40% and 45% ads. This is fairly standard across all print magazines, video-game-oriented or not. Feel free to crunch the numbers yourself with a handful of recent issues.

Q – What's with these cell phone advertisements? Grrr!
A – From time to time, "non-endemic advertisers" (read: companies that make things other than video games) want to buy ad space in OXM because -- surprise -- they want you to buy their stuff. There have been a few issues that featured special advertising sections, but they are not a regular occurrence; these usually show up around the big holiday issues. However, we do not remove editorial pages to accomodate these ads; you aren't losing or missing anything when you see one of these special sections appear. It's an extra section (notably, without page numbers, noting that this is not "core content" but additional stuff).

Q – What’s OXM Digital?
A – OXM Digital is a proposed way to deliver OXM content on Xbox Live. The project is currently on hiatus.

Page 1: Welcome to the FAQ
Page 2: Subscription Stuff
Page 3: Disc Stuff
Page 4: Magazine Stuff
Page 5: Podcast Stuff
Page 6: Staff Stuff

PODCAST STUFF

Q – You guys have a Podcast?
A – Yep, two actually. Ryan and Dan host KOXM, a weekly free Podcast, which you can get at www.oxmpodcast.com, but you can also subscribe via iTunes.

Q – What does the “K” stand for in “KOXM”?
A – In the west, radio stations are identified with call letters than start with K. In the east, it’s usually W. Since we’re based in Calfornia, it’s just a play on the radio callsigns.

Q – What’s the song at the beginning of the Podcast?
A – That’s “Blow Me Away” by Breaking Benjamin, which you’ll find on the Halo 2 Original Soundtrack Volume 1. We got special permission to use it as our theme.

Page 1: Welcome to the FAQ
Page 2: Subscription Stuff
Page 3: Disc Stuff
Page 4: Magazine Stuff
Page 5: Podcast Stuff
Page 6: Staff Stuff

STAFF STUFF

Q – I have a comment/question/suggestion for the magazine. Where do I send it so the editors will read it and/or it will be published in an issue?
A – Send an email to letters@officialxboxmagazine.com. NOTE: This email address is ONLY for questions or comments relating to editorial. No emails regarding subscription, newsstand or pricing will be dealt with at this address, so use the other address listed above for that!

If you’d prefer to send a physical letter to the editors, send it to:
Official Xbox Magazine
c/o Mike Frassica, Customer Service Manager
4000 Shoreline Court, Suite 400
South San Francisco, CA 94080

If you don’t want your letter considered for publication, just say so when you write in. Even if you’d rather not have it printed in our letter column, we still want to hear your feedback.

Q – What are the editors’ Gamertags?
A – Francesca OXM, Corey OXM, Paul OXM, Dan OXM, Ryan OXM, plus Gary OXM from our art department and Intern OXM from our salt mines. You’ll note that their Gamerscores are pretty low! That’s because most of the gaming done for the magazine is done on debug hardware that runs the games while they’re still being made, and everybody has an alternate, "private" Gamertag as well, so the editor's public Gamertags often won’t reflect the games they’ve played, completed, and reviewed. But if you spot these Gamertags in the Xbox.com forums or on Xbox Live, yep, they’re the real deal. Say hi.

Q - Does The Dagda Mor work for OXM or what?
A - No, he's just a loyal fan who maintains the lists of our review and disc content out of the goodness of his heart, and we appreciate it a lot. Real OXM staffers are identified by the gamertags listed above.

Q – How can I get a job at OXM?
A – First there has to be an opening. Check the job listings at http://www.futureus.com to see if the magazine is hiring. If we are, all the details on how to apply for the job and what the qualifications are will be there.