Red Ring of Death condolence cards

45 Comments by Alexander Sliwinski Oct 16th 2007 2:57PM
Filed under: Microsoft Xbox 360

If you know someone who recently experienced the loss of an Xbox 360, show some support by sending a Red Ring of Death condolence card. Created by Etsy user BSAngel, the card has the dreaded red ring design on the front, made from red crystals adhered by industrial strength glue. The card says inside: "May this card help console you during this difficult time. I am very sorry for your loss." Get it? Console and console -- it's a heteronym.

The card is $4 plus shipping and because it's handcrafted we're thinking not too many are available. Thankfully, the card seems simple enough to make with just a quick trip to your local crafts store. We actually think Microsoft should buy this concept off of BSAngel (she definitely deserves to be compensated for the idea) and send a card to every person who's gotten the RRoD (they have all the addresses). It would actually be a really nice PR gesture. If Nintendo can spend $18 million on Wii prophylactics, the least Microsoft can do is send out some cheeky cards of apology.

[Thanks Paul, Via Technabob]

Tags: art, card, condolence, craft, rrod

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(Page 1) Reader Comments

FrankTheCrank: Oct 16th 2007; 3:05PM

But...but...but...Three Year Warranty!!!

Marty: Oct 16th 2007; 3:08PM

If this had happened pre-3 year warranty (and pre-100's of other RRoD jokes) it might have been kind of funny.

At this time though, the idea isn't even worth $4. It's beating a dead horse. The RRoD isn't that big of a deal anymore, and trying to get people to laugh at these stupid jokes is like trying to get people to laugh by asking them why the chicken crossed the road.

Ihya: Oct 16th 2007; 3:48PM

Nah, it got a chuckle out of me.

borland502 (SDF - Macross Ring): Oct 16th 2007; 3:51PM

"The RRoD isn't that big of a deal anymore, and trying to get people to laugh at these stupid jokes is like trying to get people to laugh by asking them why the chicken crossed the road."

Get used to it lad. The PS3/Foreman grill is still making the rounds, so I'll wager that RRoD circulates for awhile yet. Besides, I don't care which console you like, that HAL/RRoD T-Shirt was great.

Andy S.: Oct 16th 2007; 5:15PM

No, it's still funny. Microsoft may be fixing more RROD'ed 360's thanks to the new three-year warranty, but all that does is make MS responsible for fixing their crappy hardware for a longer period of time. It still leaves the user without a console for a month while the repair center tries to decide whether to repair or replace the console. Oh, and there are still the issues with transferring purchased content to a new console, should you end up getting a replacement.

So, yeah. The problem is still relevant, and the joke is still funny.

Rajab: Oct 16th 2007; 8:02PM

hey marty, microShaft is looking for your number. They need more ppl like you working for their PR/Denial department

CaptainAmericaX: Oct 16th 2007; 11:43PM

Actually its only funny for sony fanboys...

Us normal people have moved on already and quit bitching...

softgun: Oct 17th 2007; 12:59PM

until MS stops sending crappy refurbished replacement units that also red ring, this will continue to be an issue. my co-worker is on his 3rd box, and one of my friends is on his fourth.

If i was only hearing anecdotes about receiving faulty replacements on t3h interwebs, I'd take it with a grain of salt. But once I start hearing it from people i know who don't even come close to internet forums, then I know something's up.

NeoGohan: Oct 16th 2007; 3:13PM

All my friends that have 360s have never had the RRoD problem, including myself. Maybe I don't know enough people *shrugs* But I feel sorry for those that have gotten it.... more than once. :(

HineyWipe: Oct 16th 2007; 3:23PM

So what you are saying is...you don't have any friends.

Shagittarius: Oct 16th 2007; 4:16PM

Its a matter of time only. Had mine since launch day and it just broke last Friday.

It will happen, the only question is when.

Mr Khan: Oct 16th 2007; 5:18PM

Its like the machine they used to try and execute Bender in an episode of Futurama, like it has a timer that will reach zero eventually, but exactly when is unknown

Martin: Oct 16th 2007; 3:14PM

[+] 1 for use of prophylactics.

NATO_Duke: Oct 16th 2007; 3:17PM

Thats pretty darn funny.

Fox318: Oct 16th 2007; 3:19PM

I have to admit its pretty funny.

I feel so lucky that my 360 has not RRoDed yet.

Evan: Oct 16th 2007; 3:23PM

genius idea for the card. i love it.

although...Papyrus? really? surely i would have expected Convection (the Xbox 360 dashboard font) or something a little less overused. and craptastic.

Riseagainstme: Oct 16th 2007; 3:27PM

Agreed, one of the ugliest/most overused font ever. The only way it would be worse is if they had used comic sans.

Vidikron (FU): Oct 16th 2007; 5:19PM

LOL... I don't even know the names of fonts and rarely do I even think about the font being used unless it's unreadable or something. Should I feel sorry for you guys or be amazed at your font recognition abilities?

Evan: Oct 16th 2007; 5:27PM

@Riseagainstme:
amen to that. i want nothing more than to personally deliver a quick punch in the face to anybody who still uses comic sans for anything. that includes children.

@Vidikron:
feel both. at the same time. however, i at least have an excuse for being able to do that, seeing as i'm a graphic designer so it's pretty much in my job description.

Brent: Oct 16th 2007; 3:24PM

Send two of these my way.

the_game_master: Oct 16th 2007; 3:25PM

I am actually looking for a RRoD, as I posted before that my 360 has been working fine since I purchased it in Nov. 2006.

I bought a 2 yr warranty with mines and am looking to replacing it with one of the new 360s that have HDMI so.

RRoD would be more a blessing than a heartache.

FrankTheCrank: Oct 16th 2007; 3:40PM

Just wrap a blanket or towel around it and let it sit for 48 hours. I'm sure it'll fry by then. Good luck!

WiNG: Oct 16th 2007; 3:25PM

There should be a card:

"Hey, I heard you bought a PS3.
I can only offer my deepest condolences."

Ihya: Oct 16th 2007; 3:51PM

You see, you've tried to take the same joke, but switch the humour to something else, which kinda kills the joke.

Boss Tempo: Oct 16th 2007; 4:13PM

Not for me it didn't.

RRoD is all they got anyway. A shitty console, Lair and playing house. Haha - We got achievements, better games, online features that work, better developers...omg the list goes on and on.

...oh and a warranty to fix the only problem these assholes can keep talking about.

Easo: Oct 16th 2007; 3:26PM

"If Nintendo can spend $18 million on Wii prophylactics, the least Microsoft can do is send out some cheeky cards of apology."

You guys dont think spending 1.15 BILLION Dollars on the free repair/replacement of your broken hardware is a good apology. I thought that was pretty cool myself, considering that not many consumer electronics manufacturers will repair or replace faulty products for that long for free. ***cough-ps2-cough-ipod touch-cough***

T3H WICKERMAN (FDF): Oct 16th 2007; 3:37PM

You think they just replaced them to be nice? They sold a faulty product knowingly. A suit from countless people was the alternative. Im not thanking them for replacing my defective unit. I lost a month of gaming score and time with several new games. They replaced my month of live and did apologize in a letter though. Too bad I gotta wait longer for them to replace my arcade games.

Grindstone: Oct 16th 2007; 3:49PM

"Heteronym"? Hmm, I wonder what a homonym is...

Someone should send me that card, I need it right about now. :-(

DWells55: Oct 16th 2007; 3:59PM

A heteronym is two words that although spelled the same, have different meanings and pronunciations. They are a specific type of homonym, with a homonym being any two words that either sound the same or are spelled the same. From my experience, generally when people refer to homonyms, they mean two words that sound the same but mean different things.

Shagittarius: Oct 16th 2007; 4:19PM

The homonym likes words of the same tense.

Neebs: Oct 16th 2007; 4:35PM

Shagi - bud dum pish

Dadidito: Oct 16th 2007; 4:14PM

I need one, I got my VERY FIRST RROD last night... Sad I AM!

Zarim: Oct 16th 2007; 5:00PM

Oddly enough I'm actually *trying* to break my 360. I got a RRoD so I filed a warranty claim. Then I decided to try the towel trick, since it's not like breaking the 360 even more mattered at that point. It worked, but worked so well that my 360 has been running fine for three weeks. So now I have the box I'm supposed to send my xbox back in and I'm trying to get it to red ring again. Knowing my luck if I sent it in in its current state they'd send it back and say "it's fine" then it'll RRoD the day after I get it back.

Vidikron (FU): Oct 16th 2007; 5:20PM

Yay! Let's drag the PS3 into yet another thread that has nothing to do with the console! Fun times!

Slvrgun: Oct 16th 2007; 6:49PM

Stop beating a dead horse people. 360 have the best games and sometimes RRs, Wii's have mostly minigames, and PS3s can do everything but play games.

Rajab: Oct 16th 2007; 8:02PM

yay, another crapCrate fanboy who has no clue about what they are talking about.
Admit it, you got scammed by microShaft. Everything they produce is buggy, bloated and overpriced. They should stick to software, all of their hardware efforts suck badly.

Psaakyrn: Oct 16th 2007; 11:08PM

I hope you're being sarcastic. Microsoft pre-XBox had always been known for exceptional hardware and lacklustre software.

Mighty Shockwave: Oct 16th 2007; 8:34PM

Meh, I'm just not feeling it with this one. The T-shirt though, that was brilliant.

meledeo: Oct 16th 2007; 9:02PM

Already sold out, haha.

Consolcwby: Oct 17th 2007; 7:07AM

**If Nintendo can spend $18 million on Wii prophylactics, the least Microsoft can do is send out some cheeky cards of apology.**

Here's a card to give to MS:
Roses are red, and violets are blue,
I'm so sorry we will be suing the sh*t out of you.

Our condolences for your (soon-to-be) loss.

Dewy, Cheatum, and Howe Att. at Law

=) That will show those cheeky bastards!

softgun: Oct 17th 2007; 1:07PM

"RRoD is all they got anyway."

.....that's like saying the only thing that's missing in that car you're looking to buy, is the engine.

To put it another way, would you buy a car knowing it's going to most likely fail within a year? And for the warranty, they just replace the transmission with another refurbished transimission that has chipped gears, so you have to go in again? How much abuse do you like to take?

Too bad I bought my 360 before this problem became well known. had I known what I know now, I would have waited until MS worked out the issue.

Oh, and that warranty you're talking about? people are getting replacement units that....uh.....Red RING AGAIN.

I'm just waiting for the day for my box to get the Ring. It's only a matter of time. and It'll probably happen during Mass Effect.

Noodlesman: Oct 17th 2007; 3:32PM

Microsoft sent me two arcade games and a month of xbox live with my 360 after they fixed it.

Better than a card, I think.

shlugendah: Oct 17th 2007; 7:20PM

Angel, nice job! Yet another great creation by you! And it's cheeky, to boot. ;) Keep those creative juices flowing!

Martin Sean: Nov 26th 2007; 7:57PM

It's a funny joke, even though I just got off the phone with 18004MYXBOX to send mine back in. A month off of gaming, can't do anything about it but I'm sure I will be a lot more productive. haha, funny how it happened after playing 700 odd games of Halo 3 and getting to a level 40 in team slayer

Aaronichi: Dec 3rd 2007; 9:32AM

This weekend I finally got GH3. When I brought it home I was giddy as a school girl. I got my guitar hooked up and ready, and when I popped in the disk, I got the RRoD. I wept.

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