Are you using an inexpensive, super-capacity memory card to save your Xbox 360 content? If so, you might want to make some changes, and soon.

Microsoft spokesperson Major Nelson announced his blog that "unauthorized Memory Units will no longer work with the Xbox 360" once consumers download and install the system's anticipated update, soon to arrive in November . While this is meant to target piracy, for obvious reasons, it's caused quite a ruccus among the Xbox 360 community.

While a standard, first-party Microsoft memory card holds only 512MB of storage and retails for $29.99, gamers looking for more bang for their buck have been able to purchase third-party cards with up to 4GB of storage for only $50 -- nearly eight times the space for less than twice the price. But once the update goes live, any card not recognized by Microsoft as an "approved" device will simply fail to work with the system.

Disgruntled 360 owners have been weighing in on Major Nelson's blog (currently over 400 comments), frequently pointing out that chief competitor Sony lets users save games with any USB-compliant storage device and can even swap in non-Sony branded hard drives.

So which cards won't work? That's a little tough to say, as Microsoft has yet to issue a full, specific list of approved and non-approved cards. However, they do offer tips for figuring out whether or not your card folds.

And before you simply decide to pass on the update, consider the wealth of goodies packed inside: Facebook and Twitter functionality, 1080p HD movies on-demand through Zune video, streaming music through Last.fm, and news services through MSNBC, to name a few.

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soap_dodger said:

I haven't used a 3rd party card since the original Xbox and I only used that cos it was a present from my Auntie.

I'm looking forward to the Facebook/Twitter part of the new update.

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custard said:

i havent ever since my 3rd party saturn card lost me my progress on exhumed and tomb raider


BTW why was it never updated
was a great game

http://www.segagagadomain.com/saturn-pal/exhumed.htm

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