Is The Xbox 360 Worth The Purchase Despite The Prevalence Of The 3RL Problem

The dreaded 3RL.  This is, without a doubt, the biggest factor that is working against the Microsoft Xbox 360.

The three red lights (morosely labeled as the three red lights of death by some gamers) is an error code that points to a “general hardware failure” of the Xbox 360.  It renders the console unplayable, and Microsoft has asked Xbox 360 owners to send over their 3RL’d units so that they can be replaced by new ones.  Also, Microsoft has extended the warranty of Xbox 360 consoles to 3 years.  These are considered as a direct admission of the problem that, according to Microsoft, affects 16% of the units sold though outside accounts say that 3RL affects close to 60% of Xbox 360 consoles within the first 2 years of ownership.

So, the question for any prospective buyer is this: is the Xbox 360 worth the purchase given the fact that there is a high likelihood that it will succumb to the 3RL which will render it useless?

The answer is yes.

Take a look at 5 reasons why the Xbox 360 will rock your world despite widespread fears of 3RL:

1. The warranty has you covered.  As mentioned earlier, Microsoft has acknowledged the problem and has since extended the Xbox 360’s warranty to 3 years – a very long time in gaming.  The greatest complaint about the Xbox 360 is that gamers can’t seem to play with peace of mind, as the unit may flash those 3 red lights at any time.  Well, it may be inconvenient, yes, but unless your Xbox 360’s warranty has been voided (as is the case with modding to play illegal copies of games),  you can send it back and Microsoft will give you a brand new console in just a couple of weeks.

2. A very deep game library.  Having a one year head start over the Sony Playstation 3, the Xbox 360 has amassed a game library that’s pretty hard to beat.  It currently outnumbers Playstation 3 titles almost on a ratio of 3:1.

3. Home to amazing exclusives.  Only on the Xbox 360 will you be able to play hardcore games like Halo 3, Halo 3 ODST, Fable II, Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Gears of War 2, Star Ocean: Til The End of Time, and Halo Wars, among others. 

4. Xbox Live.  The Xbox 360’s online mechanics is powered by Xbox Live, the best online connectivity for any console to date.  The Playstation Network is ages behind the Xbox 360 when it comes to infrastructure.  The Xbox Live provides a smooth and comprehensive multiplayer experience for Xbox 360 owners who own games that can be played online.

5. Achievements.  The Xbox 360 pioneered the use of achievements – vanity rewards that players can unlock with the games they play.  Achievements have changed the face of video games, so much so that MMORPG giant, the World of Warcraft, has directly copied the implementation of such achievements in their own game.  Even the Sony Playstation 3 has implemented its own set of rewards – called Trophies – for the system, albeit years after the Xbox 360’s fantastic innovation.

Furthermore, with the release of newer Xbox 360s using the Jasper chipset, Microsoft is confident that the occurrence of 3RL errors will be minimized, if not totally eliminated.

Five Xbox 360 Games That Can Make Or Break The Console In 2009

The Xbox 360’s dominance over its historic rival, Sony’s Playstation 3, is under serious attack.  The PS3’s sales are increasing, and though the Xbox 360 manages to hold the lion’s share of the console purchases, industry experts predict that it’s just a matter of time now before the PS3 finally regains its throne as the no. 1 video game machine for homes all over the world.

But not if the 5 Xbox 360 games we will discuss below can help the console’s cause.  These Xbox 360 games will be released towards the latter half of 2009.  Whether or not the PS3 will be able to narrow down the Microsoft’s lead will greatly depend on how well these Xbox 360 games will fare in the market and how well they will convince people to buy an Xbox 360 console.

What are these 5 games?

1.  Alan Wake.  In a year where there is a dearth of exclusive Xbox 360 games, Alan Wake is indeed a breath of fresh air.  Anticipation for this game has been building up for more than 2 years now.  This action/adventure title is a small town thriller with Hollywood-like special effects.  The quality is apparent and it has the word “hit” written all over it.  This is the second biggest release for the Xbox 360 in 2009.  What’s the first biggest release?

2. Halo 3: ODST.  Halo is Microsoft what Mario is to Nintendo.  Halo 3: ODST is a Halo game that is designed by Bungie, the team responsible for the first 3 Halo games and the team that fans thought will never create another Xbox 360 title again.  Halo 3: ODST will not feature Master Chief.  Instead, it will follow the adventures of 2 characters: an Orbital Drop Ship Trooper who is out to rescue a squad mate; and the said squad mate in cleverly integrated flashback scenes.

3. Bioshock 2.  Bioshock 2 is one of the most anticipated Xbox 360 games.  However, it is not an exclusive title, whereas its predecessor was a timed exclusive for the Xbox 360.  The sales chart for Bioshock 2 will be very interesting as we will know which gaming system will garner more sales for the same title.  Much like…

4. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.  If Halo 3: ODST is the biggest exclusive title for the Xbox 360, then Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is the biggest release of 2009 for all existing consoles, period.  The publication of an Infinity Ward-created Call of Duty game is always an event, and for this year, the Xbox 360 and the PS3 will compete for people’s gaming dollars with this title serving as the bone of contention.

5. Final Fantasy XIII.  Getting this highly anticipated Square-Enix release is a coup for the Xbox 360.  Now we’ll be able to see if the Xbox 360 can steal a market that has always associated the franchise with Sony’s system.

Will these Xbox 360 games catapult the system to a higher level of success?  Or will these Xbox 360 games sink the console to a depth it has never experienced before?