Xbox 360 RROD – How will it affect next gen?
February 7, 2010 
7 Comments
Since it’s launch on the 22nd of November 2005 the popular Microsoft Xbox 360 gaming console has been plagued with hardware and software failures that have left many gamers waiting weeks for their console to be repaired. How will the issues that have dogged Microsoft’s console this generation affect the mindset of the general public when Microsoft inevitably releases their next gen console in the future?
Reports of problems began to surface shortly after the console was released in 2005 and have been present ever since, the most common fault found on the consoles is the RROD (Red Ring Of Death) whereby the console stops functioning completely and 3 red lights glow on the front of the console. This error is usually attributed to a hardware failure though it is non-specific in which area of the hardware has failed.
Microsoft acknowledged that there were problems with the console and on the 5th of July 2007 the Vice-President of Microsoft’s Interactive Entertainment Business division (Peter Moore at the time) announced in an open letter that Microsoft would be offering a 3 year warranty for all consoles that experienced the RROD.
No one knows the true extent of just how many consoles are effected by the RROD (and just failing in general) but SquareTrade puts it at 16.4% and a poll on the GameInformer website put it at a staggering 54.2% so its safe to assume that its somewhere in the middle which is still considerably higher than what is acceptable. Due to the excessive hardware failures that people have had with the console a class action law suit was filled against Microsoft on the 17th of October 2008 in the state of California.
Given the high rate of failure of the device i find it somewhat surprising that people are willing to put up with it and just accept it as being par for the course of owning the device. I can understand somewhat that people have invested a lot of money in games and accessories for the console so switching is going to be more expensive than repairing (which Microsoft will do for free) but i just wonder how the problems people experience will affect their decision on whether or not to purchase Microsoft’s next gaming console.
When the next generation of games consoles eventually comes (not for a while as companies are keen to extend this generation for as long as possible due to spiralling development costs) will consumers be put off by their past experiences of hardware failure or will they just remember the great online and gaming experience that they had with the console? A way in which i believe Microsoft could initially keep this saga from hurting them next generation is to provide backwards compatibility with the new console and Xbox 360 games, that way consumers will still have something invested in the Xbox brand and a reason not to switch to a competing console.
The Xbox 360′s ace up the sleeve is currently its unparalleled online experience which other consoles haven’t even gotten close replicating, however will they be able to keep this advantage over their competitors into the next gen when their competitors can rebuild their online brands and bring a richer experience to consumers? I think its imperative Microsoft keep their online advantage as i believe it to be one of the biggest reasons for the hardcore gamer choosing their console over Sony’s Playstation 3 and if they can provide a richer online experience in the next gen it will again drive hardcore gamers to their platform despite any issues they may have experienced previously.
In conclusion i don’t think that the RROD fiasco will negatively impact Microsoft when it does eventually move into the next generation as much as many people expect it to and as much as it could have. They have built up a brand which is based upon everything that the hardcore want, a fantastic unmatched online experience and exclusive content which can only be had on their platform (halo, gears of war, mass effect), it may have cost Microsoft billions of dollars this generation but i don’t feel it will have any lasting impact as Microsoft tries to cement its consoles place as the definitive gaming experience.
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Oh my GOD! now there is a great way to fix your RROD I just found out today. Check my link posted. If it does not work try rrod-fix-pro dot com.
Learning the correct way to open your Xbox 360 will enable you to insert any mods you like. I have written instructables on how to open up, disassemble the case, how to fix the Red Ring of Death. Prepare yourself to dig into Microsoft’s successor to the Xbox, and have some fun in your possible projects =)
I think the subject of this post is a very interesting point which hasnt yet been covered by the online media.
I think Microsoft are doomed to be the bridesmaid and never the bride of the console industry, and lingering doubt from the RROD fiasco isn’t going to help them gain early sales come the next generation.
Another question is will Sony learn from their mistakes this gen’ and come up with a much cheaper console next gen? I think this will have the greatest impact Microsoft’s dream of console domination.