Since the release of the Xbox 360 in late 2005 it’s become obvious that Microsoft has a hot console on their hands. Building on top of the already technologically advanced Xbox, the 360 offers features and convenience we have only dreamt of until now.

While the list is huge, some of the major value added features include: gamer points, Live Arcade, Live Marketplace, backwards compatibility, wireless controllers and even connectivity with networked PCs. A loved but controversial feature is automatic updating allowing patching of games or even the dashboard through Xbox Live.

Before video game consoles started connecting to the internet there was a clear divide between the games that ended up on PCs and the ones console bound. The PC offered much more versatility to the developer as they could release content updates and even patches over the internet. The result: PC games were many times rushed out the door bug ridden or even incomplete as the developer knew they could meet their launch date while still finishing the game at a later date. Things were sometimes so bad that games were released without multiplayer capabilities but instead a promise of an update in the future to add it. Many people complained and they had every right. They were mislead through and sometimes made to feel as if they were beta testing a game they just paid $50 for. There have even been times when a PC game already has bug fixes available before it’s hit store shelves, addressing issues that obviously missed quality testing. This problem was frustrating to many and they sought out refuge in consoles.

You see, Console game developers had it tougher. With no opportunity to update or fix their games after release, they needed to make sure they had every bug was fixed and every feature working. Had they missed a game breaking bug, they would be left with a product on store shelves that was considered “broken” and avoided by most consumers. This forceful one strike and you’re out policy resulted in a majority of console games having very few bugs. The games that did end up bugged or broken were lambasted by reviewers and subsequently sold poorly.

With the launch of the Xbox 1, a console suddenly had the opportunity to allow bug fixes and even content updates through Live. Since Live required a broadband connection and an annual fee, the majority of Xbox owners remained unplugged leaving a very small percentage of the user base connected. Developers knew this and many never released anything following a game’s launch. Titles with a heavy multiplayer component saw updates as it was likely more were playing over live. Halo 2 would not still be so popular today had it not been for Bungie’s ability to release patches to address the many multiplayer exploits and bugs griefers were abusing. Their injection of fresh content in the form of the map pack also managed to extend the life of the game. So in general, the first console to allow updating did so very successfully if not often used by developers.

Fast forward to present day. Many more people now have broadband, the 360 is selling well and it’s Microsoft’s goal is to see any many of them connected to live as possible. Offering a free Xbox Live silver account to anyone and the addition of the live marketplace and downloadable updates gives little reason for someone to keep their console offline. As of this article there have already been three backwards compatibility updates and a considerable dashboard update. Being connected to live brings value and Microsoft’s constant free upgrades are impressive to say the least.

Now here is where things get a little sticky. The Xbox 360 makes it amazingly simple to patch/update any game you own. When you insert the disc, you are informed that there’s an update and only seconds after accepting the game has launched fully patched. Game developers realize this simplicity and knowing a majority of those playing their games are on Xbox Live, they have been utilizing this patching feature more and more. This is a great thing….right?

In most cases we’d agree. Dashboard updates, back-compat updates and even downloadable content has been a headache free experience and Microsoft seems to really have the handle on things. When it comes to developers lets just say we’re hanging our heads in shame.

What seems to be happening is Xbox 360 games are having an eerie similarity to the problem we mentioned regarding their PC cousins. With the ability to send a game to duplication and tackle bugs later via a patch, it allows the developer to meet their release schedule making the publisher happy. While this is understandable as bugs are hard to find; how incomplete should Microsoft be allowing these games before they launch? To put things in perspective let us look at some previous titles.