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Microsoft in 'open dialogue' with ECC over disc scratching concerns
It's been one week since European Commissioner for Consumers Meglena Kuneva requested information from Microsoft on the Xbox 360 disc scratching problems highlighted by an investigation by Dutch TV show Kassa. The company released a statement saying that they "are working in an open dialogue with Commissioner Kuneva to clarify our position and all the efforts we are taking across the EU, and in fact globally, to address any consumer concerns." However, as 1UP notes, Microsoft released a separate statement to MCV that has since been amended. That statement placed the blame on "improper use" of the Xbox 360, which involves moving the console while a disc is inside. Kassa's own report indicates that the scratching can occur if the console is switched from horizontal to vertical position, so though the user may be at fault, is the policy therefore unfair? Microsoft did retract this statement; it's unclear if they did so due to a change of heart or because implying consumer fault is just bad PR. The statement went on to say, "As we have said previously, there is no widespread issue regarding scratched discs as is alleged by Kassa." That's a far cry from the statistical data we were hoping to see, and the subjectivity of the word "widespread" leaves Microsoft a rather large window for problems. We hope to hear more as the public investigation continues.
Scratch that: The Xbox 360 might damage discs after all
As if the Red Ring of Death wasn't already a frequently discussed part of Xbox 360 lore that Microsoft would rather avoid discussing, bubbling to the surface is another issue we've been hearing about for a while -- the Xbox 360 Ring of Disc Death. Dutch consumer advocacy show Kassa tested Xbox 360s (video after the break) and proved that the Xbox 360 does indeed scratch discs. A Microsoft spokesperson says a previous statement in Europe has some "nuances" lost in translation when it was converted to English. Joystiq received from Microsoft their official statement, "Due to the fact that we did not participate in the experiment done by Kassa and have little insight into the methodology that was used, we cannot comment specifically on the outcome. While we are aware that discs can potentially be scratched through normal wear and tear, we have not received any widespread reports of the issue highlighted here. There are millions of Xbox consoles in use today and we know that the majority of our customers are having a great gaming experience. That said, it is important to us that all of our customers have the best gaming experiences possible, and these claims are obviously very concerning to us. We encourage any Xbox customer who believes that their discs have been scratched in the same manner as identified by KASSA, to contact us at www.xbox.com/support or 1-800-4-MY-XBOX for additional information. We will examine the console and make appropriate repairs if necessary in order to restore the console to full working order, as well as provide customers with information on how to obtain replacement discs should they need them." We'd previously reported that it's best to keep your console horizontal. Kassa reports that the problem is created by the TSST drive missing parts that stabilize the disc and prevent the drive's lens from coming into contact with the disc. The problem is mostly found in consoles produced in Dec. 2006, and the show estimates that 1 to 2 million units are affected.[Via Engadget]
