GameFly reminds customers of Xbox 360 delicacy

The world's largest online video game rental store sends supportive emails to first-time Xbox 360 renters in the hopes of avoiding scratched discs and possible console failures.

Xbox 360 failure concerns persist

Xbox 360 failure concerns persist

No one likes a faulty disc, especially if you're in the business of renting video games like GameFly is.

In an effort to minimize random damage rendered by the fragile Xbox 360, or any of its negligent owners, the online rental store sends a reminder email to first-time renters of Xbox 360 games.

"Our records indicate that you recently rented your first Xbox 360 game from GameFly," the automated email reads, obtained by GamePro on Friday. "As you know, the Xbox 360 is a high-end gaming console that uses state-of-the-art technology.

"As stated in the user's manual, it is important that the console not be moved in any way while a disc is in the tray. The following movements, among others, may cause damage to the console and/or result in scratches to the disk."

Renters are then advised not to shift, pick up, or move the console in any way during play.

No such email is received when renting Wii or PlayStation 3 games for the first time.

Last year, Microsoft extended the warranty of Xbox 360 hardware to three years, after it was reported that nearly 33% off all systems fail due to overheating. Disc scratching has also been widely reported since the console launched in 2005.

THE VERDICT by Blake Snow Blake Snow's Avatar I was surprised to receive the email over the weekend. Not a huge deal, but it's amazing to think how pervasive Xbox 360 fragility has become in the industry.

Comments [67]

post a comment

AANTHUNDER

I learned the hard way a few years ago with my first scratched disc. No amount of gamedoctoring could help it.

vadthrawn

You do have to be careful. It really is borderline unacceptable how careful you have to be with disks for the 360. I'm not sure if the PS3 has the same problem but being that it's not in the news they must be good on this issue. I had a scratch on BF: Bad Company that would normally not concern me. Disc read error on that game when playing multiplayer were through the roof.

artsaber

No the PS3 does not have this problem. MANY MANY 360 DVD drives skimped on a 1 cent rubber bumper that prevents the DVD from contacting with the metal surface when the console is tilted while spinning. Talk about going cheap.

ceokls

Oh well back to the drawing board MS. You have the Technology. We can Rebuild It.

nadohawk

All Disc Drives are the same. Don't move them because they are spinning. Sometime people blame the companies themselves, but they fail to realize the stupidity of the average American gamer.

Sire

If these idiots would put the dam console FLAT on it's belly, scratched disks would be a thing of the past. . . Even the PS3, DON"T stand it up straight up and down.[p] If you go on the official forums for either console and read the posts of people with hardware problems, NINE out of TEN times they keep the consoles standing vertically.[p] I have NEVER had a scratched disk or an overheating problem. My PS3 problems were factory installed.

Post a Comment