Xbox Issues Formal Apology After App Malfunction Floods Users with Test Notifications
Xbox has formally apologised to its gaming community after a significant technical malfunction within its official mobile application resulted in hundreds of users receiving a barrage of bizarre test notifications. The incident, which occurred on the evening of Wednesday, February 25, 2026, saw affected gamers reporting that they were sent the same erroneous message up to twenty times within just a few minutes, causing widespread confusion and concern.
Many players initially feared that their accounts had been compromised or hacked, as the unexpected flood of alerts disrupted their experience. The notifications, identified as a "dummy message" sent via the Braze customer engagement platform, prompted users to capture a screenshot and navigate to a recently added gallery, further adding to the bewilderment.
Gamers Express Frustration and Alarm on Social Media Platforms
Following the incident, numerous Xbox users took to social media platforms, including Reddit and X (formerly Twitter), to voice their frustrations and share their experiences. One Reddit user stated, "I had to turn my notifications off for the app, was getting spammed for like 15 minutes." Another added, "Thought I was getting hacked again," highlighting the security concerns that arose from the repeated messages.
A third user reported, "I was asleep when I got these last night, thought my account was compromised or something," indicating that the notifications persisted over an extended period, affecting users at various times. The sheer volume of complaints underscored the scale of the issue, with hundreds apparently impacted by the app's erratic behaviour.
Xbox Support Responds with Explanations and Apologies
In response to the growing outcry, Xbox Support representatives addressed the situation directly on social media. At approximately 6:54 PM GMT, an official post acknowledged, "The Xbox App got a little too enthusiastic with test notifications today. That's on us, but it's resolved now. Thanks for understanding, and we apologize for flooding your notifications."
Just five minutes earlier, another statement from Xbox confirmed, "We are aware that some users have received errant messaging through the Xbox Mobile App. Apologies for this inconvenience. Currently, our engineering teams are working to identify the underlying cause of these notifications." These responses aimed to reassure users that the problem was being actively investigated and resolved.
Understanding the Role of Braze in the Notification Debacle
The notifications were traced back to Braze, an American company specialising in customer engagement platforms used by businesses for marketing purposes. Braze's cloud-based software enables clients to send push notifications, emails, and other communications to their customer base, making it a key tool for companies like Xbox.
According to insights from Reddit users familiar with the software, the incident likely stemmed from a testing error. One expert explained, "What likely happened is they did not test in a sandbox or test environment for a new automation related to a program. Sometimes when this happens within the automation environment, it can create a loop of triggers that are unintentional and spam messages like that."
Potential causes for the malfunction include:
- A Braze system error or glitch in the platform's infrastructure.
- Improper saving of a marketing program, leading to unintended notifications.
- Incorrect integration links set up by engineering teams, causing repetitive triggers.
- Lack of adequate testing in isolated environments before deployment.
This explanation sheds light on how automated marketing tools, when not properly managed, can result in significant disruptions for end-users. The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of rigorous testing protocols in digital platforms to prevent such occurrences in the future.
As Xbox continues to investigate the root cause, the company has assured gamers that the issue has been resolved and expressed gratitude for their patience and understanding during the unexpected notification spam.
