No RROD, no overheating

Having done away with the iconic ‘Red Ring of Death’ in the redesigned version of its Xbox 360, Microsoft has also introduced further safeguards to protect against the console’s patchy reliability record.

It has emerged that the redesigned Xbox 360 S will automatically shut down if it detects that its innards are getting too hot. A message will appear on-screen telling users:

The Xbox 360 is shutting down to protect the console from insufficient ventilation. You can turn the console back on after the power light stops flashing.”

Overheating was the main cause of the old model’s technical issues. More recent revisions of the hardware contained beefier heat sinks to help dissipate warmth as well as larger braces to prevent the circuit boards from warping and damaging components.

The Xbox 360’s reliability issues saw it feature twice on BBC’s consumer rights show Watchdog – once due to disc scratching accusations and again for RROD.

Microsoft subsequently extended the warranty it offered new owners, a move that cost the company over $1bn.