Next Xbox update could break hacked hard drives
Microsoft charges a lot for all of their accessories. There isn’t any competition, so they charge whatever they want. Consumers who wanted to counter this, before this news could simply throw a laptop drive in a gray hard drive shell and it would work. After this next update though, if you’ve got anything but the official Microsoft hard drives, your stuff is going to break. The official word over at Major Nelson’s blog:
When Preview Program members start receiving the Xbox 360 system update next week, one of the changes is that unauthorized Memory Units will no longer work with the Xbox 360. If you’ve moved your profile or saved games onto one to “back it up,” you’d better move it back onto an authorized Xbox 360 storage device prior to taking the update. If you continue to use an unauthorized Memory Unit after the update, you will not be able to access your stored profile or saved games.”
Seriously, this is a huge kick in the balls for anyone who wanted to avoid the marked-up Microsoft drives. I’m still stuck with my dinky 20gb drive, since I can’t afford the $100, and so I’m forced to rotate between having a demo or two installed, one game, or a handful of videos.
After the announcement that the Modern Warfare 2 360 will have a 250gb drive, this is obviously part one of their plan. First, disable any hard drives that aren’t officially approved. Part two, give people an ‘alternative’, in the not-announced-but-obviously-coming 250gb drive, priced reasonably(!) at $200. Part three, total domination of humanity.
As some posters at NeoGAF point out, it doesn’t specify what is going to stop working, but my money is on anything that’s not official. Hell, I’m surprised they haven’t outlawed unofficial headsets, guitars, and controllers yet.
Source: Major Nelson’s Blog via NeoGAF
Microsoft has confirmed that the 250gb hard drive would not be avaliable on anything except the Modern Warfare 2 xbox.
Dinnae fash yerself my xbox 360 emulator is running just fine on Ubuntu and its flying well under the radar of Bill’s team…
Officially, there isn’t a 250gb hard drive coming yet, ie: “no plans”. There was also no plans for a PSPGo or PSPSlim. I realize they’re different companies, but what is said one day means nothing the next.
The 250gb Xbox ‘Super Elite’ is also available as a Forza 3 bundle with 2 black controllers.
For less than the cost of the bare 120gb PS3 slim too.
In Europe & the UK.
Just another reason I won’t buy a 360. Nothing against the 360 guys, but I can put whatever the hell I want into my PS3 and nobody gives a shit. Piss on Microsoft and Bill Gates.