Microsoft fixing latest 360 update

This week's latest System Update for Xbox 360s went very smoothly...for 99 percent of console owners. For the remaining one percent, the past day has been nothing but a next-gen nightmare.

The update, which was released yesterday, added several new features to the Xbox 360's dashboard and the console itself, including 1080p resolution support. But for some Xbox 360 owners, it simply turned their consoles into a AU$650 paperweight.

Many among the Xbox modding scene believed the update crashed souped-up Xbox 360s and was a message from Microsoft to modders to stop tinkering with the hardware. Microsoft weren't exactly forthcoming about the problem, but today the company broke its silence.

"A small percentage of consoles were affected negatively by the fall update (less than one percent have reported issues). We're working with those affected to get them back up and running, whether that be by providing another console or fixing their existing console. We're committed to resolving this issue."

Microsoft expects to have the problem solved within the next 12 to 24 hours, according to Microsoft's marketing team's Gamerscore Blog.

The biggest addition to this latest update is crystal clear -- for owners of high-definition displays. Xbox 360s will now support the vaunted 1080p resolution that is so valued by videophiles. Both games and videos will have the ability to be played back in the sharp resolution, and a Microsoft rep confirmed that existing Xbox 360 games can be upscaled to 1080p.

But that's not all for video updates that. Gamers will be able to stream Windows Media Video (WMV) files from connected PCs, as well as play video files from data media discs (CDs or DVDs), USB 2.0 flash drives, and Xbox 360 memory units.

Now that Xbox Live Arcade is a bona fide success, Microsoft is making it easier for gamers to get their pseudo coin-op fix. An option to automatically download trial versions of new Xbox Live Arcade titles has been added, with the company hoping that a tease of the game is enough to convince gamers they should purchase the full version.

The wait to jump into arcade games has also been decreased, with owned Xbox Live Arcade games appearing in the dashboard "almost instantly." In addition, a "Tell a Friend" feature has been added to spread the word about arcade games, and an "expanded Achievements View" solely for XBLA games has been added to the Arcade blade.