Just discovered a cool little 'trick' the other day. It's sorta obvious but I haven't seen anyone mention it so figured I'd share.

First off, in order for this to work you need to own your own game. Now go to the redeem code page on xbox.com and start putting in codes that you've already given out. If the code hasn't been used then it will tell you "You already own this content" and it won't let you use it.

So I got the codes that I sent out to some of the big sites and sure enough they weren't used, so now I have more codes!

-Jeremy

Haha, I guess it's obvious in retrospect, but I never thought about it. Thanks for the tip.

Aah! I was wondering if something like this might work. Thanks Jeremy. So what happens when the code is still available? Does it just say "you already own this" or something similar?

Roonda:

So what happens when the code is still available? Does it just say "you already own this" or something similar?

Yep!

Ahh very handy, thank you!

JForce Games:

now I have more codes!

+10 Awesome for figuring that out. It's not a good thought that some copies might be sitting and rotting in some review site's inbox while you could be using them for something else

I don't know if "rotting" is necessarily the right word. We have quite a mound waiting for us to get the time to go through them. Nobody's getting paid to do those reviews (at least, not any member of a site reviewing Indie Games that I'm aware of).

On the same token (ha ha), if you have more immediate marketing plans and need the code back, we won't complain. Just don't want to be vilified.

xAD:

We have quite a mound waiting for us to get the time to go through them.

Lol - I certainly wasn't trying vilify you so close to my own game's launch... :)
Would it be rude to ask for a reply if they weren't going to use the code, or would that request even be likely to sit in your inbox unread?
Which site do you review for? Want another code for your inbox compost?

One thing that I've noticed several indie developers doing more now is to send out an email with a press release and asking if the site wants a review token.  If I send an email back saying I'd like one, they send it, but if I don't reply then they haven't risked needlessly sending a code into limbo. 

Another good thing to do is to individually keep track, maybe in an excel document, of what sites/email addresses receive which codes, and then which ones redeem the codes and which ones actually post reviews and whatnot.

Personally, I take no offense to the vilifying of the press.  Most of us are villains.  I often practice my maniacal laughter in front of the mirror to make sure it's still in top form.

Snichols:

One thing that I've noticed several indie developers doing more now is to send out an email with a press release and asking if the site wants a review token.

That's probably the best approach. I'd start now, but there's the niggling little voice in the back of my head saying that someone will find a code 4 at the last second and it will fail.
In the mean time I just have to sit here stressing to pass the time... :)

You don't get the magic codes till it clears anyway. So that's one less problem.

Snichols:

Another good thing to do is to individually keep track, maybe in an excel document, of what sites/email addresses receive which codes, and then which ones redeem the codes and which ones actually post reviews and whatnot.

That's what I've done from day 1. It's worked well so far.

FYI I'm pretty sure this has been mentioned on the forums before - I think it was ZMan who found it but I'm not positive.

Yeah surely I'm not the first to think of this. I just remember people saying how there's no way to track tokens and I never saw an answer to that.

-Jeremy

Bob Taco Ind:

You don't get the magic codes till it clears anyway. So that's one less problem.

I meant sending out the "Do you want a code" letters, but how long does it take to clear after passing review?
And how how are you given the codes? are they emailed or in one of your business tabs?

Hmm, I guess it was someone else - I can't find the thread though.

QuimbyRBG:

I meant sending out the "Do you want a code" letters, but how long does it take to clear after passing review?

I usually get them within a few hours of the game being approved.

QuimbyRBG:

And how how are you given the codes? are they emailed or in one of your business tabs?

They show up in the My Business page.

Not sure about time to marketplace, I think I saw a thread recently though. As for tokens, they show up in your "My Business" section, just under your sales data.... don't get too excited about that - it will take probably 2 days for your first installment :)

Roonda:

don't get too excited about that

Lol. Oh yeah, no worries mate, it's not like I have been glued to my PC for the past 7 hours watching the progress bar. :)
Still, it's good to know that it will take a few days so I can go and find something to occupy my time while I wait without getting too stressed.

This is awesome, thanks for sharing!

QuimbyRBG:

xAD:

We have quite a mound waiting for us to get the time to go through them.

Lol - I certainly wasn't trying vilify you so close to my own game's launch... :)
Would it be rude to ask for a reply if they weren't going to use the code, or would that request even be likely to sit in your inbox unread?
Which site do you review for? Want another code for your inbox compost?

Well, there have only been a few codes we never intend to use - they were sent to us after we had already reviewed those games!
We "intend" to get to everything, though we're 500+ games behind at this point. :)
That's why I started up our "Weekly Round Up" just giving a quick impression of all the past week's releases. (xnplay.co.uk , BTW)

Anyhow, I agree that a "send an email to get a code for review" approach is best.
(With a backlog like ours we mostly only review games we like any more, and we usually buy those anyhow! :)

xAD:

Well, there have only been a few codes we never intend to use - they were sent to us after we had already reviewed those games!
We "intend" to get to everything, though we're 500+ games behind at this point. :)

Well that's good to hear... Square Off must be getting somewhere near the front of that list now - considering we sent you guys a code in January :D
No rush though, might be better to save it for when our update is finished.

xAD:

Anyhow, I agree that a "send an email to get a code for review" approach is best.
(With a backlog like ours we mostly only review games we like any more, and we usually buy those anyhow! :)

So presumable if you decide you don't like a game and hence don't review it, you'll let the developer know you won't use the code (or at least that you've used the code to determine whether the the game is better in full version, but have decided it's actually still not worth reviewing)?

JForce Games:

It's sorta obvious

I don't think this is obvious at all, what a great technique and thanks for sharing it.  It should really be added to one of the FAQs.

I've found loads of codes I thought were used up were not, its really going to help our marketing efforts.