Just when you thought it was safe to make the switch from Sony to Microsoft, it’s happening all over again. Complaints are spawning around the net that the latest version of the Xbox 360, the Elite, is failing in similar fashion to its predecessor. Videos are being uploaded to YouTube, disenchanted gamers are preparing Gates hate mail, and worst of all, loyal customers are once again shipping off their 360’s to the Microsoft repair center.
I’ll admit, when Red Octane’s patch for Guitar Hero II allegedly caused the red rings of death to make a return appearance with newer 360 units, I gave Microsoft the benefit of the doubt. I reasoned on the side of generosity that the failing units were either sleeper systems that had the red ring issue lying dormant and only coincidentally woke up while the users happened to be playing Guitar Hero II, or (even more generously) I accredited the latest failures to a faulty patch from Red Octane.
Was my judgment compromised by delusion? I can feel the flames of argument beginning to crop up once again. This latest turn of events, rumored or not, is going to heat up the console wars all over again. And honestly, who’s to say that Microsoft actually has any viable defense this time. First we dealt with scratched discs, and the legendary red rings of death upon release. Then, units that had already been fixed once began falling victim to the GH2 patch problems. Now, if history repeats itself, Elite owners will be walking on eggshells – praying to the gaming gods – that they will emerge from this latest batch of problems unscathed.
Yet, in the interest of fairness, I remain optimistic – even if through naivety. A YouTube video posted at Sponge attempts to validate the claims of one frustrated Elite owner. However, there is little irrefutable evidence presented in the video. A disc is inserted, and loud noises can be heard as the 360 attempts to read the disc. Then the camera pans right to show the TV screen which reads “unplayable disc”. There is no red ring appearance, and we do not see the disc after the 360 has given the error message. In fact, we never even see the written side of the disc before it is inserted. Irrefutable evidence, to me, would require a before and after presentation of the disc itself, or at the least, visual evidence that the 360 has failed. The video on Sponge, as is, could be nothing more than a bad (or scratched) disc.
As for the other complaints beginning to filter into forums, everyone knows that when systems work properly, people in general don’t rush online to post shiny-happy “mine works just fine” comments. Naturally, the highest volume of reports about any product will be negative. This does not mean that I am denying a problem could exist, only that it may be too early to cry foul.
Video [Sponge]
Oh Microsoft.
There are only 3 bullet points that are different than that of the white Xbox 360s. Is it really that hard to do the SAME thing they were doing before?