Microsoft is offering a small number of Xbox 360 owners replacement consoles and a free year of Xbox Live as compensation for a firmware glitch, according to a report.

According to Kotaku, some customers have received emails stating that consumers can trade in their defective consoles in return for an upgrade.

Microsoft also confirmed the report via Twitter, in response to the posting of a screenshot of the letter by user Avery Penn.

However, the email from Microsoft appears to anticipate problems with the console, as Penn told Kotaku that his console is still able to read the discs. "The email was most likely referring to the Xbox LIVE update which is being phased in between May 19 and May 30 – an update which reflashes the DVD drives to a new stock firmware, and adds support for new XGD3 disk format," Kotaku added. "It's this update that allows an extra GB of usable storage on game discs."

Microsoft is replacing the older consoles with the Xbox 360 S (marketed as the Xbox 360) the refresh of the console in March of last year that includes a 250-Gbyte hard drive, integrated 802.11n, digitla audio, and a total of 5 USB connectors. Penn owned a 60 GB Xbox Pro model from 2009, Kotaku reported.

Microsoft representatives were not available for comment at press time.

It appears that Microsoft is heading off any sort of ill will that could be associated with the Xbox console in advance of any problems. That's in sharp contrast to Sony, which has received criticism from PCMag.com readers for its handling of the Sony PlayStation Network outage. Sony executives have apologized and posted copious Welcome back freebies, however.

This article, written by Mark Hachman, originally appeared on PCMag.com and is republished on Gear Live with the permission of Ziff Davis, Inc.