Upcoming 360 Update to Break Some Consoles

[BingJohnson]

The upcoming Xbox 360 update will prevent a small number of Xboxes from playing disc-based games. MS will be replacing affected consoles with a new slim console w/250 gig HDD and a free year of Xbox Live.

uk.kotaku.com/5802935/does-the-xbox-360s-new-disc-format-not-work-with-some-older-consoles

[nacthenud]

No, no, no - it won't break the 360's or prevent them from playing disc-based games. Those 360's simply won't be capable of reading data on future games that are released on Microsoft's upcoming new disc format ("XGD3" formatted discs). Old games that were released on DVD will still be perfectly playable.

Your post is either misinformed or misleading.

The new format allows for more data to be fit onto each disc, but a handful of 360's that were made will not be compatible with this new format. The update doesn't "break" them in any way.

[BingJohnson]

You may be right. But that is not what this article states.

"We've just had a look at a verified email, sent from Xbox LIVE customer support, claiming that a recent update provided to Xbox LIVE beta testers is preventing "a very small number of Xbox 360 owners from playing retail discs"."

It looks like beta testers of the update are having trouble playing discs that they already own on a small portion of consoles.

[BingJohnson]

From another article about the update:

"According to Microsoft, their internal testing has suggested that certain systems, with certain DVD drives, are no longer able to read games disks after receiving the update."

www.everybodyplays.co.uk/news/360/New-360-dashboard-update-causes-DVD-problems/617

[Moderator]

I hope mine gets affected, I'd like a free console and free year worth of live

[Setharion]

Lol that's kinda funny overall, well least they are supplying new consoles! Yea a brand new 360, sure ms I'll take one

[BingJohnson]

May 18, 2011 12:53:50 GMT -5 Moderator said:

I hope mine gets affected, I'd like a free console and free year worth of live

I know right? I'd gladly trade in my 2007 arcade for a new 2011 slim with a 250 gig HDD.

[nacthenud]

May 18, 2011 12:15:07 GMT -5 BingJohnson said:

You may be right. But that is not what this article states.

"We've just had a look at a verified email, sent from Xbox LIVE customer support, claiming that a recent update provided to Xbox LIVE beta testers is preventing "a very small number of Xbox 360 owners from playing retail discs"."

It looks like beta testers of the update are having trouble playing discs that they already own on a small portion of consoles.

If you read a little bit further down in your article, it states:

That would most likely mean that the games Avery's Xbox 360 wouldn't be able to read haven't even been released yet – explaining why [glow=red,2,300]his 360 could still read currently available game discs.[/glow]

[BingJohnson]

May 18, 2011 15:16:46 GMT -5 nacthenud said:

May 18, 2011 12:15:07 GMT -5 BingJohnson said:

You may be right. But that is not what this article states.

"We've just had a look at a verified email, sent from Xbox LIVE customer support, claiming that a recent update provided to Xbox LIVE beta testers is preventing "a very small number of Xbox 360 owners from playing retail discs"."

It looks like beta testers of the update are having trouble playing discs that they already own on a small portion of consoles.

If you read a little bit further down in your article, it states:

That would most likely mean that the games Avery's Xbox 360 wouldn't be able to read haven't even been released yet – explaining why [glow=red,2,300]his 360 could still read currently available game discs.[/glow]

Either way, a console that doesn't play future disc-based games or a console that doesn't play current disc-based games is still a broken console to me. I'm glad MS is stepping up and getting ahead of the issue.

[Phoenix S117]

Mine is the red 360 that came bundled with Resident Evil 5. I kind of hope it's not one that has a problem since I really like red consoles.

[Sondiame]

-please break my xbox update-
No break
DAMNIT!

Well i guess its a good thing id didnt cause i have the old white xbox with all my stuff on the harddrive.

[nacthenud]

May 18, 2011 15:28:10 GMT -5 BingJohnson said:

Either way, a console that doesn't play future disc-based games or a console that doesn't play current disc-based games is still a broken console to me. I'm glad MS is stepping up and getting ahead of the issue.

I disagree. If I own a Generation 1 iPod Touch, Apple releases and OS update with features that only work on iPod Touch 3rd Gen or higher and a game is released that cannot be played on a 1st Gen iPod Touch, they did not "break" my iPod Touch in any way. It is simply incompatible with certain new features and games.

I'm not saying this isn't an issue for the people who own incompatible 360's and I'm glad Microsoft is handling it the way they are, but to say they're "breaking" those incompatible 360's is a false, inflammatory B.S. comment. In my humble opinion.

The "broken" 360's will still be capable of playing the vast library of games already released and all the downloadable games past and future. No functions will stop functioning. Everything it was able to do previously, it will still be able to do. There is simply something new that it will not be able to do.

[BingJohnson]

May 19, 2011 11:47:35 GMT -5 nacthenud said:

May 18, 2011 15:28:10 GMT -5 BingJohnson said:

Either way, a console that doesn't play future disc-based games or a console that doesn't play current disc-based games is still a broken console to me. I'm glad MS is stepping up and getting ahead of the issue.

I disagree. If I own a Generation 1 iPod Touch, Apple releases and OS update with features that only work on iPod Touch 3rd Gen or higher and a game is released that cannot be played on a 1st Gen iPod Touch, they did not "break" my iPod Touch in any way. It is simply incompatible with certain new features and games.

I'm not saying this isn't an issue for the people who own incompatible 360's and I'm glad Microsoft is handling it the way they are, but to say they're "breaking" those incompatible 360's is a false, inflammatory B.S. comment. In my humble opinion.

The "broken" 360's will still be capable of playing the vast library of games already released and all the downloadable games past and future. No functions will stop functioning. Everything it was able to do previously, it will still be able to do. There is simply something new that it will not be able to do.

Fair enough Nac. You can disagree if you choose. But i find your example to be lacking. It's more like if Apple releases an iOS update that keeps you from using new music on iTunes than it is new features in iOS. Xbox 360 games should work on all Xbox 360s. Just like all of the music on iTunes should work with all iPods. At the end of the day, the 360 is a gaming console. If it can't play a 360 game. I call it broken. If an old model can't use ESPN3 or Last.FM, that sucks, but it isn't broken. But people who buy a gaming console deserve to be able to play all of the disc-based games that are released over that console's life. If they want games that make their consoles obsolete, they should be PC gamers.

[BingJohnson]

Update:

Now it is not the upcoming update that is the problem. It is stemming from an older update...

majornelson.com/2011/05/18/clearing-up-some-confusion/

[nacthenud]

May 19, 2011 12:04:17 GMT -5 BingJohnson said:

May 19, 2011 11:47:35 GMT -5 nacthenud said:

I disagree. If I own a Generation 1 iPod Touch, Apple releases and OS update with features that only work on iPod Touch 3rd Gen or higher and a game is released that cannot be played on a 1st Gen iPod Touch, they did not "break" my iPod Touch in any way. It is simply incompatible with certain new features and games.

I'm not saying this isn't an issue for the people who own incompatible 360's and I'm glad Microsoft is handling it the way they are, but to say they're "breaking" those incompatible 360's is a false, inflammatory B.S. comment. In my humble opinion.

The "broken" 360's will still be capable of playing the vast library of games already released and all the downloadable games past and future. No functions will stop functioning. Everything it was able to do previously, it will still be able to do. There is simply something new that it will not be able to do.

Fair enough Nac. You can disagree if you choose. But i find your example to be lacking. It's more like if Apple releases an iOS update that keeps you from using new music on iTunes than it is new features in iOS. Xbox 360 games should work on all Xbox 360s. Just like all of the music on iTunes should work with all iPods. At the end of the day, the 360 is a gaming console. If it can't play a 360 game. I call it broken. If an old model can't use ESPN3 or Last.FM, that sucks, but it isn't broken. But people who buy a gaming console deserve to be able to play all of the disc-based games that are released over that console's life. If they want games that make their consoles obsolete, they should be PC gamers.

Almost nobody I know who bought an iPod Touch bought it to play music. They have their iPod Nano's for that. The iPod Touch is bought for it's apps - at least in my circles - which is why I see it as a direct comparison. Many of the apps released today cannot be used on older model iPod Touches.

[stealthieone]

nac you're splitting hairs. and you come off as some 360 fanboy defender. I think Bing is right...how can you say its not broken if one day someone updates their 360 and goes to buy gears of war 3 and can't play it because of the update? and for sure its considered broken if it can't play some older games. Also the ipod touch comparison is a little ridiculous. you can't make sweeping statements like that. I'd say people buy an ipod touch for the functionality of both apps and games and if one day the music stops working..then its broken. the ipod touch comparison with a gaming console should have never been made...never in the history of a gaming console does an update stop you from playing games being released on the console. the fact that MS is willing to give a new model 360 shows to you absurd this issue is and before actually becomes an issue MS has already informed people they will be taken care of.

Basically whats more important is you have to wonder how certain games would have been if this new disc would have been around for ME 2..and for sure for LA Noire. 3 disc for that game? I wonder if made the devs have to make certain design decisions. for example....the free roaming aspect..i dont see why thats not meshed with the main game. the story aspect really isnt any diffrent than any other gta/ red dead,etc. type game and it just makes me wonder.

for people that LA Noire on 360 that didnt install the disc..what happens if you're on a case and ignore it and just decide to drive to the other end of town is there a swap disc message?