Xbox Series X internal CMOS battery issue is being investigated

Xbox is pledging to look into consoles continuing to run after the internal CMOS battery eventually dies.

Earlier this year, it was reported that an issue with the PS4 and PS5's internal CMOS battery could one day render the consoles unplayable, when the battery inevitably dies. In the following months however, Sony launched a software update for both consoles that remedied the issue, allowing both PlayStation consoles to continue playing games even after the battery failed.

Now, Xbox boss Phil Spencer has said the manufacturer is looking into ways to fix similar issues with Xbox consoles. In an interview earlier this week with Axios, Spencer acknowledged that the Xbox team is aware of similar issues with Xbox consoles, where they would be rendered redundant and unable to play games if the internal CMOS battery dies.

"The hardware team is hearing the message about our consoles […] should allow for the ongoing relationship between the player and the content that they own. So we hear the message and the teams are looking at things," Spencer said.

At present, there is one way of saving a console if a CMOS battery dies. If users can connect to Xbox or PlayStation online services when a CMOS battery dies, they'll be able to authenticate their console, thus letting it continue to play games. The concern is that if Xbox or PlayStation online services were ever to shut down, the consoles would then be useless if they're lacking a CMOS battery. It's a relief then, to hear that Xbox is attempting to fix the issue, just like Sony has over the past few months.

If you're still on the hunt for a new-gen Xbox console, head over to our Xbox Series X stock updates guide for more.