My 360 ate my Call of Duty 4
By Triston McIntyre
If you don’t know by now that Call of Duty 4 is the most popular game on Xbox Live (and a favorite on PS3 as well), then I must ask you emerge from your dank closet and say hello to reality. If you also were unaware that Xbox 360’s are notorious for devouring game discs, then you probably aren’t a 360 owner. Much to my dismay, both worlds collided and all I am left with is a mangled Call of Duty 4 disc.
‘Tis true; after only 3 months of use, my COD4 disc showed the signs of a fatal interlude with my 360. Though the disc was without a single smudge or man-made mark, there are a few circular gouges tainting the soft underbelly of the disc. Microsoft likes to suggest the damage comes from moving the console from horizontal to vertical while it is on, but I can attest I did no such thing and the same results occurred.
This 360 is my second; the first had to be replaced after falling prey to the red ring of death. I have to say, I was really hoping that Microsoft would fix many of the problems that plagued the first 360 models. I know for a fact that my replacement console (received in November of 2007) did not have the improved chipset and heatsink set — apparently Microsoft figured if they weren’t going to do some things right the second time, they might as well go all the way and not change a thing, because this replacement 360 scratches discs as well.
I can’t say I had problems with disc scratching with my first 360, but two class-action lawsuits were filed against Microsoft last summer due to the fact that many 360s eat discs; after digging extensively, I couldn’t find much in the way of a judgement except that Microsoft now has a disc-replacement program.
When I found out about the replacement program, I figured Xbox must be replacing COD4 discs, as it is one of the most popular titles right now - oh, how wrong I was. Here is a list of the titles currently being replaced:
Crackdown
Fusion Frenzy 2
Gears of War
Halo 2
Halo 3
Kameo
Ninety Nine Nights
Perfect Dark Zero
Project Gotham Racing 3
Viva Pinata
Xbox Live Arcade Unplugged Vol. 1
Though Call of Duty 4 isn’t on the list yet, the list shows that most of the uber-popular games tend to make the replacement list; it can’t be long before enough irritated COD4 players get something back. After all, I do love Call of Duty 4, but $130 dollars or so with tax is a steep price to pay for a single video game, and I’m only 3 months in!
Editorial Note - The above-pictured disc is not the disc referenced in this article; however, the marks on the disc in question are very similar.
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Stumble It!
Tips N4G
March 3rd, 2008
The same thing happen to me, I can still play online and the first 2 missions, but after that, i got the message that the disc was unreadable. I already finished the game once but i wanted to finish it again in the hardest level. And now I can’t. But I must admit that my 360 moved just a little bit while I was playing COD4, but not that much to scratch the disc. Moreover, this is the second game I get scratched, Timeshift was the first but after taking it to clean it, I was able to finish it. But that didnt happen with the COD4.
March 3rd, 2008
this is the sole reason why i didnt, (and wont) buy a 360. That and having to pay-to-play online. Otherwise, I would buy one right now!!
March 3rd, 2008
You paid $130 for a copy of COD4? It must have been some sort of special edition.
Sounds like I must be one of the lucky ones. I have a launch 360, play it for hours a day, and have not had any RROD or disc scratching issues. 4 of my friends who bought one around the same time as me have not had any issues either.
March 4th, 2008
Microsoft is right, it only happens when you move your xbox. It doesn’t matter if it is on or not. My launch system even had a warning sticker that came on the front of the drive that said something like Be sure to remove Game Disc or DVD when system is being moved or transported. You screwed your COD 4 yourself. Quick tip take your game disc up to a family video rental store near you (if you have one) and pay them $2.50 for them to put your disc in their DVD repair machine. It will fix it.
March 4th, 2008
Instead of trying to get replacements. Just get the super improved version of the Xbox360. The PS3. Less problems, more advanced, always improving.
March 4th, 2008
Travis: thanks for the tip, but I’ve never changed the position of the console with the disc in. I’ve always kept it horizontal.
March 4th, 2008
The $130 is in reference to buying two copies.
March 4th, 2008
It happens when the DVD laser is dying, the laser moves up and down trying to focus on the disc and sometimes hits it. Happened to my COD4, but I,ve changed the laser feed voltage as a temporary fix.
March 4th, 2008
It’s shocking how Microsoft is allowed to get away with selling such shoddy hardware! Any other company would have been out of business by now on the back of such a consumer outcry!
If it isn’t getting the RROD it’s eating your games! Do MS pay for a new game as well as a new console? Probably not.
Once this “war” is long over, and the fanboys have moved on to something new I think the world will look back at these “retro” games console and universally judge the XBox360 as the worst console ever created…
March 4th, 2008
its funny how people like you break your toys and then blame the compnay who made it…….you probally ate the heads off your G.I. Joes and tried to return them to the store for new ones………don’t you think its odd that so many of your games are getting chewed up??? Maybe your little brother is playing your xbox 360 when your not home??? ever think that?
March 5th, 2008
damien you are an idiot. just because your 360 doesnt do it doesnt mean nobody elses does. I believe the failure rate was 33%. Since your too dumb to figure this out i will point it out for you. If 33% were giving problems then that must mean 67% were fine!!! Could it be you are in the 67%. wow…..
I hate to be a jerk, but anybody who gets on any site and trys to deny any kind of 360 hardware problem is a f***ing idiot. Even if you love your 360 and hug it and crap; it doesnt give you any kind of right to put shame on those who may have been in that 33%. that goes for “Serious” and “Travis” too. its amazing how dumb some of you people are.
March 5th, 2008
People forget the PS2 had it’s fair share of problems too. I had 2 in 3 years, and the second was in bits when I bought a 360. Same laser problem halfway through Mercs 1, very annoying, never did get to finish it!
March 5th, 2008
hey, author…don’t move your console when it’s running… i just can’t believe i have to tell you that… ah…noobs…. sorry jacob; the highest is 16%… the 33% was originated by the ps3 fanboios.
March 6th, 2008
How many times!
You DON’T have to move the console for it scratch discs. If the laser can’t focus it’ll move up and down and sometimes hits the disc. I’ve repaired dozens. You will also get get laser burns on the disc which don’t polish out.
March 23rd, 2008
yep my wife nudged my system with it on (cant say what we were doing, but it was fun) and it fell from vertical to horizontal and scratched my oblivion disc. same scratch pattern, and eventually the laser failed. i had to disect the laser from a new dvd drive i bought online and replaced the old malfunctioning laser. voided my warranty but oh well, microsoft refused to fix my console under the RROD 3year warranty and was going to charge me 150 to fix it. saved 70 bucks by doing it myself.
March 25th, 2008
Yes, I’m sure a total fanboy such as yourself has a 360.
April 3rd, 2008
I another reason why i made love and JERKED on my XBOX! HA HA HA