One day after the launch of the Xbox Series X, it seems gamers are having hardware issues with faulty disc drives and software issues connecting to the Xbox Live servers, which the consoles reportedly are required to login through when they are first turned on. One day before the official launch of the PlayStation 5, there are reports of at least one console bricking due to software issues in addition to reports of issues related to rest mode.
Reports of the Xbox Series X smoking have been making the rounds online since yesterday and Microsoft has been working to debunk the rumors and spreading the helpful tip to not blow vape smoke into your console.
We can't believe we have to say this, but please do not blow vape smoke into your Xbox Series X.
— Xbox (@Xbox) November 11, 2020
Reports of grinding sounds and the console’s seeming refusal to accept discs are numerous on Twitter.
I have an even worse problem 🙁 What would be the best way to get a replacement pic.twitter.com/546UloBRkr
— drknickel (@drknickel) November 11, 2020
Mark Shockley, a Youtuber and reviewer, tweeted initially that his Xbox Series X console was bricked right out of the box due to an unending attempt to connect. He followed up with news of the issues related to the servers crashing.
OK so I got it working! The Xbox Live servers are crashing and the Xbox Series X can ONLY TURN ON the first time by connecting to those servers. Had to spam "log in" for 30 minutes while eating a Hot Pocket but it finally updated and let me into my $500 console.
— DreamcastGuy Is Reviewing EVERYTHING (@DreamcastGuy) November 10, 2020
Aside from the tongue-in-cheek acknowledgment of rumors that consoles are overheating, Xbox has not addressed any other potential issues, but the Xbox Support account tweeted reassurances that consoles go through quality assurance and provided a link to the Microsoft self-support assistance service.
Or visit https://t.co/nshveQovsK for troubleshooting tips and to engage with our support team.
— Xbox Support (@XboxSupport) November 11, 2020
Jeremy Penter, known online as Angry Centaur Gaming, tweeted yesterday his PS5 console “is 100% dead.”
“At this time my PS5 is 100% dead. I was having the storage rebuild issues others reported but mine escalated to full errors and network issues/boot. Sony and I were working through troubleshooting when it died completely,” Penter tweeted.
p.2. I did promise viewers I would give out the PS5. So I have preordered another online. Since there is no reason for people to wait. When the first arrives I will be giving it to viewers in a giveaway versus using it myself. I can wait for the 2nd.
— ACG (@JeremyPenter) November 10, 2020
In a follow-up tweet, Penter says that Sony worked with him and he will be receiving a replacement console.
Old PS5 will be boxed up and shipped out.
Funeral Services were beatiful pic.twitter.com/BIqcybkFhh— ACG (@JeremyPenter) November 11, 2020
Jeff Gerstmann, editor and co-founder of the gaming website Giant Bomb, tweeted yesterday that putting his console in rest mode while playing Spider-Man caused his whole system to crash.
The rest mode into crashing gives me flashbacks to a 2014 update to the PlayStation 4, where putting the console into rest mode could potentially brick the entire system.
Gerstmann said that his console would eventually boot normally, but not after a series of repair sequences and black screens.
In the replies to Gerstmann’s original tweet, the Community Director at Insomniac Games, James Stevenson, stating that the studio was looking into the issue.
Also every time I've had the PS5 go through that external drive repair sequence, it ends up on a black screen. I have to hit the power button on the console itself to force it into rest mode, then it comes back up and asks me to file an error report, then boots normally.
— Jeff Gerstmann (@jeffgerstmann) November 11, 2020
As of 5:30 p.m. on Nov. 11, the official PlayStation support Twitter had not addressed any of the early issues being reported around social media.