In his most recent blog update, MMORPG.com Spotlighted blogger cmagoun discusses the fact that, if the sum of something is good enough, people will overlook its problems. To do this, he cites the XBox 360 and MMOs.

I am on my 4th XBox 360. Well, it might not literally be my 4th 360; I would have to check the serial numbers to see if the boxes were actually different or not, but this is the 4th time I will get an XBox into my home after a return or repair.

So... 3 hardware failures, more specifically 2 network port failures and, just so I didn't feel like a wierdo, a red ring of death. In total, I have spent over 6 hours on the support website and an estimated 18 or so hours on the phone with tech support. The most epic of those calls lasted over 2 hours and ended with me getting disconnected just before the tech authorized the repair, forcing me to repeat the whole call, and I mean the WHOLE call, including the "Is the cable plugged into the back of the console, Sir?" The second most epic call had the tech trying to convince me that the network connection really was working... hard to explain. I wish I would have taped that one.

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 I have had much of the same issues as you in the past.

My xbox was repaired 3 times before it got overbearing trying to play GoW at night with the thing sounding like it was about to take off for space flight or something.

My solution was getting a new xbox, this is not the best for some cos I was lucky enough to afford it but it will help. I did my research and the newer generation of Xbox (white) is the most efficent. If you buy a new one unless you need the harddrive space dont buy the Elite because they failed on it.

The new white xbox is far better at keeping the console cool and managing the heat output properly. The reason i said dont get the Elite is because they messed up a few of the models and put the scanner too close to the disk meaning on some of them your discs will get scratched like mad.

It is a pain in the ass when they break down but I have to commend Microsoft for their exelent customer service in extending all warranties to 3 years.

My solution was buying a Playstation 3

Still on my first and only Xbox 360. No glitches, no freezes, no "red rings of death", no issues at all. Guess I'm just lucky.

Far as getting a PS3, when Sony gets their ass together and drops the price about $150 AND gets an actual library of exclusive games that I can't enjoy already on my Xbox 360 ( most importantly rpgs ), then I'll think about it. Until then, I look forward to FFXIII and the next Metal Gear on my 360.

Haven't people gotten over that whole 'PS3 has no games' thing by now?

I wasn't particularly true to start with and it certainly isn't true now, just go to wikipedia and have a look at the genuine exclusives (Ie, those that are only on 360 vs only on PS3) and you'll find that it's pretty even actually.

And then there's the fact that most console games are on at least the PS3 and the 360, if not also on the Wii and the PC - The PS3 has more games than most people can afford to buy, just like the 360, just like the PC (and although I lack personal experience - I'd bet it's just the same on the Wii).

In fact, given there are real classics on all three systems, I don't see how someone with only a 360 or a PS3 can really be called a gamer at all. Well, maybe a 'casual' gamer.

I am in the same boat as Zorvan, I prefer xbox 360 due to it haveing more games that I enjoy, the ps3 may have the same amount of games exclusivly for it but I dont enjoy many of them.

Originally posted by DiamondMX

Haven't people gotten over that whole 'PS3 has no games' thing by now?

I wasn't particularly true to start with and it certainly isn't true now, just go to wikipedia and have a look at the genuine exclusives (Ie, those that are only on 360 vs only on PS3) and you'll find that it's pretty even actually.

And then there's the fact that most console games are on at least the PS3 and the 360, if not also on the Wii and the PC - The PS3 has more games than most people can afford to buy, just like the 360, just like the PC (and although I lack personal experience - I'd bet it's just the same on the Wii).

In fact, given there are real classics on all three systems, I don't see how someone with only a 360 or a PS3 can really be called a gamer at all. Well, maybe a 'casual' gamer.

Yeah, how many rpgs are on the PS3 compared to the Xbox 360? The PS2 was the king of rpgs, where's the PS3 at?

And out of the games it does have that are exclusive, how many are worth a crap?

And let's see, off the top of my head I own a Nintendo 64, a Gamecube, a PS1, a PS2, a Dreamcast, a PSP, a Nintendo DS, an Atari Lynx, a Sega Genesis, and a few others sitting in the closet. As well as my xbox 360 and my PC. But I guess without that PS3 i'm just a "casual gamer", huh? Get a clue.

I had that red ring of death thingy on my first Xbox, right off the bat. Come at home, plug it and BAM, red ring. About a year later, it was the CD that couldn't read anything. Sent it back for repair, and came back just as broken. So you could say i'm on my 3rd Xbox in 2 years and yes, i do believe it's a piece of shit. Not to mention that you don't want to hear what i think about their ***** over seas customer support...

Anyway. I kind of agree with the article. The whole is always greater then the sum of it's part, so if at the end of the day (year) you get more enjoyment out of a product then frustration, chances are that you'll overlook those problems so long as they don't happen regularly enough to completely disrupt the fun you can have with it. Of course, we all have a different patience meter and some might brush those problems while others becomes bitter and holds a grudge about it. I'm from the second breed.

Ive had my 360 for almost 3 years now and the only problems Ive had was the laser got weak and I fixed that myself with the POT mod and my cd tray wont open if its standing up verticly with no DVD in it.  Other than that it works fine, granted I never play it so thats maybe  why.

I think that guy saying that PS3 has no games, he means that PS3 has no games worth playing. It makes since to me, I havent really found any games that cought my eye on PS3 that wern't comming out on the 360. The thing with the 360 and games worth playing they come out on the PC as well and my PC is nice so Id rather play it on PC. But yah PS3 seems to be slacking on the cool RPG's that the PS2 had.

If anything I wish I would have got a Wii instead I'd probobly still be playing it. Nintendo got it right this time around Ive never had more fun playing a console even if it was just playing the cheesy bowling game. 

Well my sons Xbox 360 got the E74 error last week and all I had to do was go to Xbox support and enter the serial number and request a repair. They sent me a reciept and a form to print out and put on the box I was sending it with. Then I called TNT and arranged for them to pick it up that day, they came and scanned the barcode and took the package. Two days later it's at the repair center in Germany and should be back within 2-3 weeks. All for free!

As for hardware, the PS3 is technically superior but what can I play on it? My Son would be impressed with the PS3 no doubt, right up until the point he discovers he can't play any Halo games on it. It's like having the choice between a Porsche 911 with plenty of open road to race around or a Maclaren F1 with no fuel in the tank!

The games are what sell the console, not the other way around.

My dad's 360 got rrod once. Been good since, but still seems like lame design. I mostly play PS3, due to it being the cheapest (after you add in 360's accesories). I can see what the dudes sayin though, 360 does have more games. I prefer a system with little mantience.

I'm on my 2nd and my dad is on my 2nd X360. I'm wondering how did you have that much hours and time on the phone. I just find it kind of strange. The site for getting the number, make shipment and tracking shipment and repairs. The phone for making a shipment, tracking, and support. How did you have that much total of hours when you should have a max of 30 min on the phone each time? Even my friend rolled 7 xboxes (of 2) and they gave him an elete with 3 games (manager did) because the xbox broke his disc.

I wasn't so lucky when the xbox broke mine and i tried to tell them, then almost a year later they report that xbox can crack disc. I'm like this is some BS. I love my xbox, but if I was right about something, the customer is always right I wanted to cut that woman. Well isn't the RRoD replacable free now?

Originally posted by Rikimaru_X

I'm on my 2nd and my dad is on my 2nd X360. I'm wondering how did you have that much hours and time on the phone. I just find it kind of strange. The site for getting the number, make shipment and tracking shipment and repairs. The phone for making a shipment, tracking, and support. How did you have that much total of hours when you should have a max of 30 min on the phone each time? Even my friend rolled 7 xboxes (of 2) and they gave him an elete with 3 games (manager did) because the xbox broke his disc.

I wasn't so lucky when the xbox broke mine and i tried to tell them, then almost a year later they report that xbox can crack disc. I'm like this is some BS. I love my xbox, but if I was right about something, the customer is always right I wanted to cut that woman. Well isn't the RRoD replacable free now?

Xbox 360 is guaranteed through Microsoft for 3 years from the time of purchase against the RRoD. Any time within that 3 years, you can send it in for free and recieve a repair or replacement. This is irregardless of any store provided warranties.

Microsoft do an excellent job when it comes to getting the RRoD and E74 errors repaired. The Xbox 360 is unreliable and inferior technically compare to a PS3 however one thing makes the Sony CEO Bill Gates' bitch,

HALO

The original Xbox sold poorly despite being technically superior to the PS2. The PS2 had masses of games to play and was cheaper and widely supported. Then came Halo CE. My son rarely played his original Xbox and I never did, one day I bought Halo as I'd heard people foaming at the mouth about it. Suddenly all his mates wanted to play and I actually for the first time completed an Xbox game! Xboxs started to sell all of a sudden!

Then came Halo 2, it sold out quicker than crack at Amy Whinehouses' wedding party! My son had to have it and so did I.

Then the Xbox 360 came out and I thought "I'm not paying for that when my son has an Xbox with all those games!". Then came Halo 3, it grossed more in 1 week than any Hollywood blockbuster movie had in history I believe. My son got an Xbox 360 for his birthday along with Halo 3, also many Xbox games can be played on the Xbox 360.

When the next generation of Xbox consoles are launched you can bet your John Thomas that Halo 4 will be getting released soon after. If Bill Gates has a Daughter he should name her Cortana! The PS3 has better hardware and free online play but no exclusive game that could gross over $100 million at the first week of release alone. There is no reason for me to purchase a PS3, my sone would get bored and go back to his Xbox360. Sony need to knuckle down and produce some exclusive games or just forget it.