By now, the word has trickled into every crack and corner of the Internet that Microsoft is developing a motion-sensitive wand controller for its Xbox 360 console, and that the prototype design fairly resembles the wand available for Nintendo Wii.

Since MTV spilled the rumor Monday, dozens of publications have jumped on the story and twisted it into a balloon animal for their own purposes. Yahoo Tech thinks any wand remote built years after Xbox’s debut would rate as little more than a second-rate accessory. NintendoRevolution thinks it’s an April Fool’s joke. PS3 says it’s a sign that Microsoft really does care about casual gaming despite the company’s huge effort to command the high-end gaming market.

MTV has pinned the rumor to an “unnamed source” who claims to have been briefed on Microsoft’s plans. The source says Microsoft’s secret controller will do much more than the Wiimote, including interact with the Xbox Live Vision Camera, and that “several developers, speaking on background” confirmed the source’s claim.

Because the report goes against Microsoft’s earlier position that motion-sensitive controllers were not on the horizon for Xbox 360 (but perhaps for its hoped-for replacement, the Xbox 720) and has no credible sources cited, gaming pundits were quick to jump on it and affix their own question marks: Is this good for Microsoft? Will Xbox 360 regain and keep the top spot among gaming consoles? Does Nintendo have anything to fear?

Well, in Game Guy’s opinion, the answer is “no” to all three, because one huge problem still stands in the way of any new technology helping lift Xbox 360’s fortunes: the Xbox itself.

Today, two and a half years after its debut, Xbox 360 continues to be the most frustrating console made, and is light years behind its rivals in dependability. The frequency of hardware failure involving Xbox 360 far surpasses acceptable levels for high-end technology, with almost 17 percent of all systems failing, compared with the standard 1 percent to 2 percent throughout the rest of the tech industry. (Did GG mention that he’s on his fourth console in two years? Yes, he has, but this outrageous statistic bears repeating.)

Most independent, semi-scientific investigations point to inefficient cooling as the problem, as the high temperatures inside the console warp the motherboard and dislodge connectors. While Microsoft has said it continues to try solving the problem, true satisfaction may not come to Xbox users until Microsoft redesigns the system.

There are two basic problems here: One is MTV passing off as news some rumor it can’t be bothered to verify with cited sources. And the other — if the rumor proves true — is Microsoft glossing over Xbox 360’s failures to spend time and money copying a rival’s technology. Because no matter if the Xbox “wiimote” smacks of success, its legacy is doomed for being married to such a troubled console.