Some Xbox Series X Systems Reportedly Have Disk Drive Issues

It's almost inevitable that the launch period of a new console will come with a handful of unforeseen issues, and the Xbox Series X is no different. However a number of reported issues with the Series X's disk drive are frustrating players--especially considering one of the big reasons for the $200 price increase from the Series S is the inclusion of a disk drive.

While Microsoft hasn't said anything officially about any of the reported issues, and didn't send a comment for Polygon's report on the issues, users on Twitter and Reddit have posted videos of their disk drive problems.

One of the main disk drive issues appears to involve disks getting stuck halfway or not being accepted into the console. Sometimes this is accompanied by a loud clicking or clunking noise from the disk drive's motor.

A thread on Reddit shows a number of users with the same problem, with some reporting that they needed to use a small amount (or sometimes quite a lot) of brute force to get the disk past the sticking point, due to the seal being new and still quite stiff. For the record, we don't recommend brute-forcing your console without getting in touch with Xbox Support first.

Other videos show the Xbox Series X taking the disk but failing to load it, or making a loud noise while games are installing, but not at other times.

A now-deleted tweet that gained a lot of traction showed an Xbox Series X making concerning noises after a disk had been loaded, but an update tweeted from the same account said that the issue was confirmed to be with the specific disk used, and not the console.

Another loud ticking or clinking noise some have attributed to the disk drive is most likely a problem with the fan instead, as one user posted a video showing the diskless Xbox Series S making the same noise.

Another Reddit thread includes a video of a console with the same problem, though the user updated to say they had fixed the problem themselves, after opening up the console and finding that the fan was impacting on a cable that wasn't sitting in the right place. Again, we don't recommend trying to fix your console yourself, as it can void the warranty.

As with any new tech launch on this scale, it's inevitable that some devices will be broken on arrival, whether due to factory faults or damage during shipping. Similar issues happened to some Xbox One systems back in 2013. A grinding noise greeted players when they inserted a disc.

As more people get their hands on the new Xbox, we'll find out whether the new console has any recurring faults on a scale large enough to cause Microsoft to address it publicly--beyond a tweet reminding customers of the best way to get in touch with Xbox Support.

Microsoft was forced to comment on one supposed issue after a number of people posted videos with smoke coming out of the top of the Xbox Series X--their response was not to acknowledge a fault, but to ask people not to blow vape smoke into their consoles.

Meanwhile, some Xbox Series X users have reported their consoles spontaneously shutting down in the middle of games. That has impacted at least one GameSpot staff member as well, with the shutdowns ranging between instantaneous and after several minutes of play.