It was a little under a week ago where we discovered that the launch of Sony's newest entrant in the console wars, the PlayStation 4, was having some pretty substantial mechanical problems, up to the point where positive comments and negative comments were, for a while, matched evenly on Amazon. With a series of mechanical issues coming into play, the next question became one of just how well Microsoft would do with its foray. Indeed, there were mechanical failures and issues to behold, but from the look of it, the whole affair seems greatly muted as compared to Sony's.

Right now, the ratio of positive to negative comments on Amazon is running a little better than two to one in Microsoft's favor, with five stars clearly leading over all others and a surprisingly large number of four star reviews in play too. Overwhelmingly, the negative comments point to faulty disc drives, leading to the newly-minted titled “Disc Drive of Doom.” Reports emerged of a “grinding or clicking” sound when discs were inserted into the drive bay, and said grinding and clicking left the unit unable to read the disc in question.

But by like token, further reports also seem to indicate that Microsoft may have learned from the Red Ring of Death phenomenon, and is ratcheting up customer service to match with quick responses and replacement units sent out accordingly. Amazon seems to be doing something comparable based on the comments in the Xbox One sales page, which is certainly worthwhile all around. Indeed, reports suggest that Microsoft is actually to the point where Microsoft will send out a replacement unit before the user ships off the damaged unit, getting customers back up and playing in as rapid a fashion as possible.

Indeed, Microsoft's new launch appears to have gone swimmingly, with reports indicating around a million units sold in just the first 24 hours and the drive issues impacting a “very small number” of gamers, according to Microsoft itself. However, it's worth noting that Sony said something similar in reaction to its own issues.

A certain amount of mechanical issues—in either Sony or Microsoft, or anyone else for that matter—probably should be expected. Things happen. Things go wrong. A certain amount of this was likely inevitable. But just as important as the event itself is the response to the event, and there seem to be some differences on those fronts. While Sony was quick to offer up potential workarounds and home-based fixes, Microsoft rather seems more focused on just immediately replacing damaged units. Sony did step up to the replacement point, however, though it was a bit after the “try this at home” fixes were suggested.

Still, the early days of the newest console wars are on in earnest, and it's clear that both sides are out to hold their current ground, and gain any new ground that's possible to gain. If I had to choose—and when it comes to things like this, I do, at least somewhat—I'd say that Microsoft had the better launch by an extremely narrow margin. While the numbers were approximately the same, the PS4 launched in just two countries while Microsoft rolled out in 13 markets. But Microsoft has one hardware glitch—the disc drive—to Sony's two (overheating and connection problems, at last report) and Microsoft seems to be moving just a hair quicker when it comes to replacing damaged consoles. Still, this is going to be a major, major move in terms of the next phase of the console wars, and the next several months will really tell the tale of just who's going to be the big winner this time around.