Video game company blunders

[Ghost Train]

I had a red ring on my 360... in Microsoft's defense I can say that the replacement process was very streamlined and efficient, got my rep in 1.5 weeks, I mean I'd rather it never broke in the first place but I guess they get kudos for customer service.

[Ginrai]

wow, everyone I know personally that has a 360 has had no problems with theirs (me and most of my friends have elites though).

Mine is the 20 GB model, not an Elite.

[mikeszekely]

I have a 360 and it hasn't burned out. so now you know 1 person with an okay unit. so it's only a 99% fail rate.

I'm also going to chime in as having never experienced the red rings. Now here's the part that's going to totally blow your minds...

...it's a launch unit. Bought it at the midnight launch, brought it home, and stuck it on the shelf I'd cleared in anticipation. Since then, I've gone through three batteries packs for the Play 'N' Charge kit, replaced the faceplate with a Transformers one, and played a crap ton of games (enough that my gamerscore is 18,000-ish out of a potential 100,000-ish). The thing's still going.

If I had to say which of the current crop of consoles is the most problematic based on my own personal experiences, I'd complain about the Wii. I'd read about the Wii24Connect problem just a few days after buying my Wii, but it was already too late. Now I've got weird sparkly vertical lines over every game I play. Fortunately, I don't play many Wii games.

I'm going to rag on the DS Lite, too. That's another launch-day toy I bought, and like so many others, I got the hinge crack. I called Nintendo, who basically told me that even though it's a known issue, my DS was out of warranty so it was going to cost me $85. I told them to piss off, continued to use it until it fell completely apart, then bought a brand new one for $99 at Target.

[Wanzerfan]

My brother keeps his X-Box 360 Elite HDMI version on its side to help keep the fans exposed. No RROD yet, yet a recent power outage gave us a scare with a double flash of the same indicators of the RROD (we were playing Perfect Dark Zero multiplayer at the time). Thank the lord that it wasn't the RROD.

[Keith]

My brother keeps his X-Box 360 Elite HDMI version on its side to help keep the fans exposed. No RROD yet, yet a recent power outage gave us a scare with a double flash of the same indicators of the RROD (we were playing Perfect Dark Zero multiplayer at the time). Thank the lord that it wasn't the RROD.

Keeping it on its side has its own problems though, one accidental knock, and the drive will scratch a huge ring onto a disc.

[kaiotheforsaken]

That can actually happen regardless, though its less likely to of course. My aunt destroyed my cousins new copy of madden on christmas when she scooched the 360 over, right after I said don't move it while it's on.

[Cent]

It's okay, they had a recall procedure on destroyed discs too. >_> I still cannot understand how they screwed up the CD stabilizing units though, weren't portable cd players present nearly a decade ago?

[eugimon]

It's okay, they had a recall procedure on destroyed discs too. >_> I still cannot understand how they screwed up the CD stabilizing units though, weren't portable cd players present nearly a decade ago?

I'm sorry, this "flaw" is retarded... how was MS supposed to know that idiots would try jogging with their 360s while playing discs? Most tray loading players don't have stabilizing mechanics. If you tip over your desktop while the DVD is spinning you'll scratch it up too.

[David Hingtgen]

It was proven many times that an UTTERLY IMMOBILE 360 could scratch discs. Heck, people filmed it happening----brand new-disc from a shrink-wrapped case that was opened while filming, utterly flawless---put in 360, run for 60 seconds, ejected---disc is scratched. If you had a "scratchy" 360---your discs were screwed.

[eugimon]

It was proven many times that an UTTERLY IMMOBILE 360 could scratch discs. Heck, people filmed it happening----brand new-disc from a shrink-wrapped case that was opened while filming, utterly flawless---put in 360, run for 60 seconds, ejected---disc is scratched. If you had a "scratchy" 360---your discs were screwed.

what is "many"? since we're so fond of anecdotal evidence here, no one I know who owns a 360 has had it scratch a disc. And I fully grant that some units may be doing this, did microsoft design the DVD drive? Wouldn't it be the fault of the DVD drive manufacturer?

[Cent]

You... Never... Move your game console ever when a disc is playing? o_O. I cannot even count the endless times when someone tripped a cord (power, output or controller... although most controllers are now wireless) and moved the console. Especially when playing with the lights off in a multiplayer game when people often get up and down to get refreshments. Stuff like that will happen. Now a PC you'd generally not move too much, but a console is a party/multiplayer experience and generally in a relatively small space. To give Microsoft lenience for their short-sightedness here is a little silly. Consoles will be moved and jarred.

Oh and your comment about DVDs in your PC being scratched... At large LAN parties, people have had their entire desktop crash to the floor from table height because the idiot on the other side kicked the table leg lock mechanism. 3 PCs fell to the ground at one event, and they were fine. It was purely luck that the harddrives survived, but no one would expect that their DVDs would be gouged beyond repair.

Edited August 19, 2009 by Cent

[Keith]

what is "many"? since we're so fond of anecdotal evidence here, no one I know who owns a 360 has had it scratch a disc. And I fully grant that some units may be doing this, did microsoft design the DVD drive? Wouldn't it be the fault of the DVD drive manufacturer?

No, it's still Microsofts fault. If you're going to charge $65 a game, you damn well better make sure the drive they're being put in won't randmoly destroy them.

[eugimon]

You... Never... Move your game console ever when a disc is playing? o_O. I cannot even count the endless times when someone tripped a cord (power, output or controller... although most controllers are now wireless) and moved the console. Especially when playing with the lights off in a multiplayer game when people often get up and down to get refreshments. Stuff like that will happen. Now a PC you'd generally not move too much, but a console is a party/multiplayer experience and generally in a relatively small space. To give Microsoft lenience for their short-sightedness here is a little silly. Consoles will be moved and jarred.

Oh and your comment about DVDs in your PC being scratched... At large LAN parties, people have had their entire desktop crash to the floor from table height because the idiot on the other side kicked the table leg lock mechanism. 3 PCs fell to the ground at one event, and they were fine. It was purely luck that the harddrives survived, but no one would expect that their DVDs would be gouged beyond repair.

lol, well, I stand corrected then. I have my 360 on a shelf with the cord tucked away, silly me with my extraordinary precautions.

edit:: computers and consoles run discs differently. Consoles stream data off it so they're constantly being accessed. Computers usually use the disc to verify ownership and sometimes stream music. It's far more likely moving a computer while on will not result in a disc scratch because the disc will not be in use at the time. Now, try it again while installing a game and let me know how that works out.

No, it's still Microsofts fault. If you're going to charge $65 a game, you damn well better make sure the drive they're being put in won't randmoly destroy them.

Of course, microsoft should personally check every single component by hand and then come over to your house to make sure the floor is level and read the manual to you while they tuck you into bed and check in the closet for scary monsters.

Edited August 19, 2009 by eugimon

[Cent]

It may not be Microsoft's fault directly, but it is their console, and it makes a lot of sense to call them (and not the company who produced the drives) when it has malfunctions. Even if the fault lies in the manufacturers of the drive, that's Microsoft's responsibility to forward the problems to them, and not ours.

[eugimon]

It may not be Microsoft's fault directly, but it is their console, and it makes a lot of sense to call them (and not the company who produced the drives) when it has malfunctions. Even if the fault lies in the manufacturers of the drive, that's Microsoft's responsibility to forward the problems to them, and not ours.

oh, I agree that they're legally liable for it and should offer disc and console replacements at no cost, I just don't think it's fair to say it's microsoft's "fault" unless they knew about the flaw and released it to market anyways... like the PROD, that one *is* their fault.

[TheLoneWolf]

To give Microsoft lenience for their short-sightedness here is a little silly. Consoles will be moved and jarred.

The infamous scratched 360 discs have nothing to slight bumps or jostles, the majority of those discs were damaged because users physically moved their 360's from laying flat on the floor to standing upright on its side...while they were still playing a game. In my old shop we resurfaced several scratched discs, and upon questioning, most customers admitted to having moved their console while it was still on. Though I have heard of a few freak 360's that would scratch discs regardless of being moved, but these cases were few and far between, so I don't consider it a blunder, just a freak occurance.

IIRC, the PS2 also had the same "problem"; if a person tilted it on its side or layed it flat while the system was spinning a disc, it would scratch the disc badly. So if you personally want to consider this a Microsoft blunder, then you can lump Sony in with them.

[kaiotheforsaken]

The PS2 DID have that exact same issue. It wasn't quite as finicky as the 360 seems to be, but I've personally seen more discs be scratched by a moved PS2 than a 360. You can move the 360 when it's off and avoid disc gouging, but if I do I usually open the disc try as soon as it's powered on just to be safe.

For my 360 it isn't really an issue, it's tucked away in an entertainment unit, off the ground and I only have wireless controllers.

[JB0]

That's one thing I like about top-loaders. The drive mech (usually) has a much more stable grip than tray- or slot-loading drives. They're also far simpler and more reliable.

And my bad. The first 360 chipset revision WAS the HDMI revision. Either they added HDMI sooner than I remembered, or the first hardware revision was later than I remembered. In any case... hooray bullet-point parity!

How you been, JBZero? Still have that foreign girl locked up in your house?

Doin' good.

I honestly can't remember what embarrassing statement I doubtless made that you're referencing. Jog my memory and I'll let you know if she escaped.

[Wanzerfan]

The PS2 DID have that exact same issue. It wasn't quite as finicky as the 360 seems to be, but I've personally seen more discs be scratched by a moved PS2 than a 360. You can move the 360 when it's off and avoid disc gouging, but if I do I usually open the disc try as soon as it's powered on just to be safe.

For my 360 it isn't really an issue, it's tucked away in an entertainment unit, off the ground and I only have wireless controllers.

My brother's is on a desk way off the ground with the wires well out of the way. It also helps that the wired controllers were designed to be breakaway, like the original X-Box controls.

[anime52k8]

You... Never... Move your game console ever when a disc is playing? o_O.

nope. Every console I've owned has always been on a shelf with all cords neatly tucked away where nobody is going to walk by and bump anything (even my old SNES and N64). I took very good care of my video game systems.

[Cent]

That's one thing I like about top-loaders. The drive mech (usually) has a much more stable grip than tray- or slot-loading drives. They're also far simpler and more reliable.

While I would agree, these systems also can wear out the bearings that clip onto the CD over time, and then eventually result in the same problem.

[shiroikaze]

Out of curiousity, since the PS2 has a magnet holding onto the disc for reading, how common are magnets used in CD/DVD/etc drives in the same manner?

Edited August 22, 2009 by shiroikaze

[IHATEYOU]

You... Never... Move your game console ever when a disc is playing? o_O. I cannot even count the endless times when someone tripped a cord (power, output or controller... although most controllers are now wireless) and moved the console.

I used to turn my ps1 upside down while it was running all the time. It was the easiest way to stop fmv and audio skipping

[Einherjar]

Rather than focus on games, Sega decides to make amusement parks. And with one of them they decided to put it in the middle of the desert for the super rich.

http://kotaku.com/5343016/sega-park-opens-in-dubai

[Wanzerfan]

Rather than focus on games, Sega decides to make amusement parks. And with one of them they decided to put it in the middle of the desert for the super rich.

http://kotaku.com/5343016/sega-park-opens-in-dubai

You've got to be shitting me.

[Einherjar]

The previous Sega parks all failed, how will this have a better chance?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SegaWorld

[eugimon]

The previous Sega parks all failed, how will this have a better chance?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SegaWorld

dubai... where the rich and stupid go to have fun, rich + stupid = win for sega theme park. or so the theory goes.

[Wanzerfan]

the supply lines mission from gta san andreas is a major blunder. you have to fly the plane perfectly to complete the mission and make it back to the base with gas left. but that is impossible to do. you have to enable the faster gameplay cheat 3-4 times so that the plane flies faster while barely using the any gas in order to complete it. rockstar made that mission easier in later versions of the game so that you don't have to use a cheat in order to beat that mission. so if you have an older version than you are s.o.l.

Is that a code that will corrupt your save game file after you save it? If not, I'm thinking on taking on that mission (I don't consider it cheating if you have to use the code just to beat that damned mission); yes I do have an older version of the game.

[Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0]

Some of you may disagree with me:

SFIV-Limiting super/ultra moves to just 1. I was fine with only being able to use 1 in SIII 3rd Strike but at leas you had the option to pick from your ultra/supers before the match started. Ken is too unbalanced and while he was good in 3rd Strike he is cheap as hell in IV. Not to mention, goodbye traditional comic/anime inspired look, welcome Street Fighter meets Power Stone!

KOFXII-Graphics are awesome but not at the cost of losing many DM/SDM's, and command moves compared to KOFXI. The best KOF for me would be Ultimate Match 98 with the graphics/animation of XII.

Edited September 12, 2009 by Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0

[kaiotheforsaken]

While I do like 3rd strikes ability to chose from various super moves, gonna have to disagree with you about Ken in IV. His tactics, especially flowchart, are pretty easy to counter and to punish. His bag of tricks wears thin pretty quick. If you put much stock in tier ratings he's pretty average overall.

I like SFIV's graphics a lot, but traditional sprites are still really nice, especially in BlazBlue.

[lechuck]

Some of you may disagree with me:

SFIV-Limiting super/ultra moves to just 1. I was fine with only being able to use 1 in SIII 3rd Strike but at leas you had the option to pick from your ultra/supers before the match started.

I agree with you. While I don't think the setup we have for SFIV at moment is really bad, I do think the the super bar has come up a bit short.

With game play heavily relying EX-moves, EX focus attacks and meter build up being to slow for my tastes, I just think a one stock superbar isn't enough.

Maybe a system where one can decide between a 2/multi-stock superbar or the ultra/super combination would have been better.

Oh and worst Fighting game blunder in recent time would have to be SNK's SvC:Chaos, closely followed by Capcom Fighting Evolution/Jam

[Keith]

Ryu with no Shin-Shoryuken made zero sense in IV. He had a prototype version of it in Alpha, nothing here, and the perfect one in 3rd strike. PAY ATTENTION CAPCOM!

[Chewie]

Lucasarts. SOE.

Star Wars Galaxies and the NGE.

After losing thousands of subs to the Combat Upgrade (which in reality wasn't that bad and did bring a new sense of balance to the game) they decided tearing the combat, leveling, and overall gameplay system down to the ground and going with something new (that the SWG player base shot down at every turn) that was more "Star Warsy and Iconic" was the way to go.

Biggest blunder of 2005 and arguably one of the biggest in the MMO side of the gaming industry ever.

Edited September 13, 2009 by Chewie

[CoryHolmes]

Lucasarts. SOE.

Star Wars Galaxies and the NGE.

After losing thousands of subs to the Combat Upgrade (which in reality wasn't that bad and did bring a new sense of balance to the game) they decided tearing the combat, leveling, and overall gameplay system down to the ground and going with something new (that the SWG player base shot down at every turn) that was more "Star Warsy and Iconic" was the way to go.

Biggest blunder of 2005 and arguably one of the biggest in the MMO side of the gaming industry ever.

But that blunder DID allow BioWare to pick up the reigns and (eventually) grace us with The Old Republic. That's nothing but a positive thing in my opinion

[Max Jenius]

Ryu with no Shin-Shoryuken made zero sense in IV. He had a prototype version of it in Alpha, nothing here, and the perfect one in 3rd strike. PAY ATTENTION CAPCOM!

Yeah, ever since they made the dragon punch Ken's "thing" & fireball Ryu's "thing" I've been annoyed at this.