Choice #1 says it all

GTA IV lockups is a easily distributed software patch. Hardware is not so easy to patch or distribute. This is not even close.

Thing is, the GTA IV freeze that is now easy to reproduce (unlike random freezes that occur for some on both platforms) by logging in to PSN & trying to play the game is a simple bug that can be patched out.

I have played this game online and signed in to PSN sine launch almost a week ago and this systematic lockup has occurred to me only today.

The RRoD problem was the reason I bought a PS3 in the first place. Clearly the bigger issue.

I really don't understand the logic in comparing the two - said it yourself in option 1.

Umm is this a serious poll?

I'm in the same boat as Candlejack - a brand new (opened 4 weeks ago) 60gb PS3 with zero problems. I even played online for a few hours without issue.

It only froze up on me yesterday, once when playing an online team deathmatch, and then shortly after while playing single-player, but connected to PSN. Pulling the ethernet cord is a fast fix, and I don't doubt a patch will be coming. You've still got my business, Sony.

A few 60gigs freezing online with a single game can't compare to a 30% CPU fail rate.

As a 360 owner, I have to say that RROD is worse, for obvious reasons. A hardware problem always trumps a software problem.

They're both bad because they both shouldn't be happening.

But RROD is much worse. I love the 360 the most, I chose it as my primary console because when I owned all 3 consoles last gen I didn't use any of them except my PS2. So this time, I evaluated exclusives, features and online and made a choice.

But RROD is awful. I put up with it because the library is great, but it sucks. It sucks even more that Microsoft can't seem to correct the flaw, and that they don't recognize the problem. I remember reading an interview where they said, "It sucks when someone has to be without their console for a few days." The process takes weeks to a month+, not 2 - 3 days.

But yeah. When GTA freezes, they can put in a different game that they like. When RROD occurs, it's time to order a box and begin 360 fasting.

When I think about the fact that when the next xbox comes out, it's only a matter of time before EVERY 360 stops working and they become extinct and non functional, I shudder. I doubt Microsoft will continue to correct RROD next gen, and even if they do, it'll cost. Which sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks.

Choice #1

RRoD wins. If you want to call it winning. Software can be fixed with a patch. I'm not so sure about patching poor hardware design.

Yeah, I mean, c'mon...think about it, Owen Good. You want your $60 to be borked or you want your $350 to be borked? Think, man. Think.

This is not even a serious question. It's like asking - "What's worse, a car accident or a bad hair day?"

RROD. It nerfs the console. The lock up is totally fixable, and technically not Sony's fault.

A hardware issue is always worse than a software issue.

Software issue = fixable
Hardware issue = fucked

The whole comparison is a bit stupid. If there are lockups in GTA that aren't there in other games it's Rockstar's fault isn't it?
Totally not comparable to the RROD.

BUT the consolemakers have brought a lot of this onto themselves with constant hardware revisions and too many SKU's this early in a console's life.

I'm not voting because the choice is so clear.
As consumers how are we tolerating either if these issues?

LOL @ the microserf who voted for the last option. KEEP FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT SIR

I should've noted, for anyone having trouble getting back into GTA IV after a freeze (I have no technical background or experience), that the game would go through the normal load screens and then get stuck (but not frozen) at the screen where it's entirely black save for the white letters of your last completed mission at the bottom-right of the screen.

This was resolved by going into the 'saved data' utility and deleting the 'Profile' save. All your saved games will be intact, but you'll have to turn subtitles and such on.

GTA IV lockups do not compare at all to 360 RROD. And the lockups are not only on PS3, 360 also has them.

As those before me have said, I don't think you can really juxtapose a hardware issue with a software issue. Software can fix software easily, hardware has to be replaced (in this case). Granted, GTA4 is a huge game and all the more important to Sony now that they have to share it with Microsoft. Still, it shouldn't be as big an issue.

How about blu-ray drive failures?

The Blu Ray of Death? :)

In my case, I'd say both are running at even pace. I've never had any real issues with game performance or hardware on my 360, UNITL I purchased GTA IV. After a few random lockups, and what I thought was an RRoD false alarm (it cleared up after a hard reset), I tried going back to some other games to wait until the software issues were addressed.

Now, however, it seems what ever issues were set in motion by GTA IV have bricked my console with a permanent RRoD. I've tried playing several games, all to have the same lockup issues I did with GTA IV and resetting only results in RRoD, now. If I wait an hour or so, I may get 5 minutes of functionality out of the machine, but that's it.

Great QA process you've got there, Rockstar! Thanks!

this is getting lame.

This is such a stupid article. Kotaku should be ashamed.

When my game froze, I simply went online, found a fix, applied it and resumed playing.
Given how much fun I've had playing this game, I am more than willing to put up with what I consider to be a minor glitch.

I'd bet 75% or more of the people who voted RRoD as the worst probably have NOT even been affected by it. Most people who decry the RRoD and whine on message boards don't even have 360s.

I have a PS3 and a 360, and yes, the RRoD bit me (just like it will EVERYONE who has an older system and actually plays it more than a few hours a week). However, Microsoft swapped it out (took about 3 weeks all told) for free and now I've been RRoD free since.

It's simple, THE RROD IS NOT THAT MUCH OF AN ISSUE. On one hand, it's guaranteed to happen to you if you play your older 360 as a gamer should (15-20 hrs a week avg). But on the other hand, that same exact certainty applies to the fixed console. As soon as it's fixed, you will NOT have RRoD. Simple.

Obviously, RRoD is worse than this GTA IV thing, but not by much. I chose the second option because the 360's catalog is HELLA deeper than Sony's. And don't give me that shit about future games - I buy systems to play them NOW. Once a game accumulates a critical mass of good games - then people should buy it.

Got a PS3 (60gb) in october went bad after a month due to a faulty bluray drive. Sony gave me a replacement within 23 hours and havent had a problem since

Got GTA on PS3 no freezes no lock ups, just insane amount of people playing online causing connection issues for me. Got other games i can/want to play. If i got the console just for gta and didnt have anything else to play i might be a bit peeved

RROD is a whole console gone for the weeks/months with no sure fix that the console will work for more than 10mins. No replacement...just sit there twiddling your thumbs will its fixed or not fixed.

Some cases ms refuse to send you the console cuz they dont think its yours even though you provide 2 reciepts.

RROD is far worse. When my 360 first died it was when GOW came out and I came home, turned on my console, popped the game in and I got artifacts all over my screen. This was during the time when no 3 year warranty was available so I just tossed my 360 in the closet. Then free fixes came along and I got it fixed. If my 360 dies again I wont be buying or fixing my 360 and I will just get a PS3.

gta4 issues are fixable &are on both PS3 &X360. Hardware RROD on X360 has proven itself unfixable for over 2 years.

this is weird, how can you compare are hardwear problem with a console to a problem with one game on one system. yes its a problem for sony a big problem but surely responsibility falls to Rock* to fix this, and as of yet i havnt seen them be brought into question about it all they keep talking about is how sony is reacting. yes they've made a fantastic game but is it even the slightest bit possible that they didnt do they're job right?

Um That's a Trick questions! ;)

(Seriously, RRoD bricks the 360. one game lockup just means a fix is due. You can still play other games and watch movies. With the RRoD, you are bentover for weeks without the console).

BTW, there are some PS3s that are having issues beyond that of GTAIV, namely getting enough units in the repair depot to turnaround. Just ask my sales rep at CDW...he's been without his PS3 since first week of April! (Some kinda blu-ray lockup)

Wow Owen....is this like a joke poll?

what are you even talking about? comparing the two is apples to oranges and makes no sense what so ever. The more I more I come to Kotaku the more i want nothing to do with it.

Lets see do I want a totaly fried 400 dollar piece of harware or a 60 buck disc that might lock up?

Right - Which is better?
A friend getting sick or dead?
Can't return friends though...

Wouldn't that be grand?
Calling customer support
for friends and family.

@Rectangle:
blu-ray failures not as high percent as 360 console failure. Thus ps3 wins in reliability.

What a dumb topic, oh well, it's RROD obviously because you can't play any games if it RROD's and then you have to wait a month for it to get fixed.

What a way for PR to bring the hate back to MS.

I would put my money on the fact that there is a higher chance your 360 will RRoD than your PS3 GTA freezing up. And there is already a fix for the freezing, just sign out of PSN. Easy. I have several friends who got GTA on ps3 and have had no problems and then I have alot more friends with 360 and almost every single one has had a problem, DVD drive or RRoD.

You cant put these two things in the same catagory, the RRoD and general hardware of the 360 is appualing and the GTA problem can be easily fixed and a patch will probably come within a week.

Isn't the GTA lockup on 360 too?
Now it looks like it's only PS3.

I thought that the GTA IV lockup was occurring on both consoles? When did this become exclusively Sony's problem?

Seriously? One game, one console? This is just fueling the fire. The game freezes, I reboot, it plays. The console RROD's...

There are other reasons but RROD is a big one for me.

Both consoles are currently comparable on price and performance. So you have software and reliability to consider.

Software can be patched and is a nuisance that seems to plague the PS3 and possibly will for some time. However it is also predicably worse at the release of a game and then gets betters.

Reliability however is unpredictable, will affect everything connected to the console. Sure you're pretty much assured a fix in a few weeks but man that's a lot of hassle for something that should have been fixed by design a long time ago.

GTA Lock up is very minimal, RROD is widespread.

My GTA plays fine haven't locked up at all since launch on my 60GB PS3.

If anyone says that a game locking up is worse than a console shitting itself than they must be joking.

@Rectangle: They are not as frequent as RROD's and are more a firmware issue than a hardware one.

These really aren't comparable. This affects only one Playstation 3 game, and it will probably be patched in the near future. If your Xbox 360 fails, you can't play ANY games at all. It's the difference between software failure and hardware failure, and that's a big difference.

Now if you're lucky enough to have an Xbox 360 in perfect working condition, hey, you've got the best of both worlds!

Is this question serious? A problem with a single game that just launched compared to a problem with an entire platform that's been out for 2+ years?

But I guess when it's Sony, even problems concerning one game get compared to problems concerning an entire console. I'm calling bullshit.

@Rectangle:
It's not like it shoots blue lasers out when its failing. You have to call in a way that shows what the symptom is. Hence Red Ring Of Death.

@Xayzer: Well, at least I can crash my car in style. :D

In defense of Owen here, he does ask the question this way first: "Is it at all equivalent to Xbox's Red Ring of Death PR nightmare?"

The answer right now is overwhelmingly no, so the poll did serve to answer his question.

No need to jump on the guy for something you think is obvious but others might not.

Isn't the problem isolated to 60GB PS3s? If so, then this isn't a problem for prospective buyers. The 60GB is long gone, so any new buyers would be just fine.

Unless of course it's on other models too. In this case, Sony should take cover now since the imminent shitstorm will make things a bit dicey.

Hm... issues with one game, or the fuckup of an entire console...

hm.....

I CAN'T DECIDE!!!

And wow... just wow @ the people who voted that GTA's fuckup is worse. I would LOVE for someone to explain just why.

If the PS3's GTA4 lock-up problem is fixable through an online patch(isn't it?)this question of whether or not it's as bad as MS's RROD issue seems ALMOST moot.For the record my GTA4 and 60 gig PS3 are working fine through ten or so hrs of gameplay.My friends 80 gig runs fine too.

I hate to be an ass and not add anything relevant to this conversation, but I'm not too pleased with this article. It's nothing more than flamebait. There's nothing constructive about it at all.

Ugh.

Well, the current tally is pretty clear!
But I thought GTAIV 360 also had lockup problems. Did I dream that? is it much worse on PS3? Or is this just a case of Sony being in the spotlight because Rockstar and SCE are addressing the problem more publicly, whereas the 360 side is keeping quiet about it? Just curious.

@YUYU: It'll probably be something like this: "I never got the RROD and I bought my 360 so long ago! I think by tomorrow it's been 2 weeks! Yea, totally blown out of proportion and all".

There are people like that. I kid you not.

We must remember any XBOX 360 consoles made after Feb.08 have not a will not RRoD this is only on systems made prior to Feb 08. So if the question is which system to get if you don't own any of them right now? Get the 360 now since these new system have the smaller cooler running chipset and HDMI so now you would not only get a Solidly built 360 with HDMI you would also be getting a better version of GTA IV..! RRoD is so last year. The only people that I know on the RRoD trail are original systems from last year or farther back. Not anyone who just got the systems with the cooler running chips. Just check the box to make sure the power supply is for 175watts and not the older 205 Watts. So this is really a NON question to be asking new buyers...LMFAO

Mr.Kotakusan...
You have the right,along with every western and usa media,to support as much as you can through your publications and reviews the "usa" console and diss without major reasons the foreign ones..
But if a foreign company brought such faulty hardware as the 360 is in the usa it wouldn't last even one week because the media would slaughter it and everyone knows that...
And while it's cool to have an opinion,
being an online publication you have to show some journalism decency and follow some neutral stance...

ps:If you wanted a "usa" console at least put Apple to make it=instant win...
ps2:m$ sucks everyone complains for m$ at so many situations,sony is accused of arrogance...(i guess they had to found something)
ps3:better than the '60
ps4:i voted the lockup to make you feel better

No contest. Of course the RRoD is worse.

As a PR nightmare, though (as the question asked) I would choose number 3. Sony Should have go their servers ready and had some firmware fixes. This is just adding fuel to the fanboys and the MS execs when they say "Live is a more established gaming network."

I stand nonpartisan :D. *goes back to playing the World Ends with You*

I think Owen is wondering about the PR impact, given GTA has been so important for increasing install base for PS. However, it can't have that much influence on new adopters, since it is apparently only affecting some 60gb. New PS3's-- are they affected?

@JorgieX: We must remember any XBOX 360 consoles made after Feb.08 have not a will not RRoD this is only on systems made prior to Feb 08.

Oh? I must have skipped that press release. Did they change the GPU cooling around so it actually doesn't overheat on a regular basis anymore?

Because if they didn't...yea...you know.