Microsoft finally sheds light on the Red Ring of Death in the latest documentary

This issue caused one billion dollar revenue loss for Microsoft

Reading time icon 2 min. read


Readers help support Windows Report. We may get a commission if you buy through our links. Tooltip Icon

Read our disclosure page to find out how can you help Windows Report sustain the editorial team Read more

red ring of death explained

If you were a gamer in the late 2000’s you’re probably familiar with the term Red Ring of Death. This issue was affecting thousands of Xbox 360 consoles making them unusable.

But what was this ring of death and why was it affecting so many consoles? After years of speculation, we finally have an official answer from Microsoft.

Microsoft has officially confirmed what was causing Red Ring of Death on Xbox 360

Ever since the release of Xbox 360, it was plagued with hardware failure, and this would manifest as a red ring around the power button, thus gaining its infamous name.

This was a widespread issue that affected numerous customers, and for years we were speculating what caused it, but now we know.

According to Gaming Bible, the upcoming documentary Power On: The Story of Xbox has an answer. In it, the former head of Microsoft, Peter Moore, has explained the cause of this problem.

It seems that the console was getting extremely hot and then quickly cooled down. This caused a massive strain on the internal system that resulted in the Red Ring of Death.

Back in its heyday, this issue cost Microsoft more than one billion dollars in lost sales and repair, and let’s not forget the hours of headache that users had to endure.

The time of Red Ring of Death is long gone, and with the next-gen Xbox console with an Intel APU on its way, many are wondering if is this a good time to get Series X.

Have you ever had this issue? If so, share your experience in the comments!

More about the topics: xbox