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Xbox 360 failure rate reaches an alarming 33% |
Listed in: Xbox 360 Tags: Best Buy, customer service, EB Games, Microsoft, Peter Moore
With Microsoft keeping its mouth shut about the actual numbers of the Xbox failure rate, Daily Tech took the matter into their own hands and started their own investigation to get a hint of what the real deal really is.Daily Tech sent out surveys to retailer stores selling Xbox 360s along with in-store extended warranties. They asked the stores who offered such in-house warranties how many Xbox 360 customers claimed the warranty. The data gathered in the study revealed an alarming estimated percentage: around 33%.
Said former EB games employee Matthieu G., "The real numbers were between 30 to 33 percent," with a higher estimated rate for launch consoles. He further stated that the store he previously worked for had around 35 Xbox 360s on its launch date, with about half the number returned due to hardware failure during the first six months and two units already "dead on arrival".
No wonder Microsoft decides to keep mum about the actual failure rate numbers. The software giant claims in official interviews that the failure rate is only set with the industry standards, which is within three to five percent. When cornered, however, they often resort to drawing attention to their effort in fixing the problem. Peter Moore, vice president for Microsoft's entertainment division had this to say to Mercury News about the issue:
I can't comment on failure rates, because it's just not something – it's a moving target. What this consumer should worry about is the way that we've treated him. Y'know, things break, and if we've treated him well and fixed his problem, that's something that we're focused on right now. I'm not going to comment on individual failure rates because I'm shipping in 36 countries and it's a complex business.
Todd Holmdahl, who was in charge of the Xbox 360's design opted to avoid commenting as well. "I would say we don't have a high defect rate. The vast majority of people are really excited about their product, and that we are targeting profitability for next year," he said to Mercury News. When pressed if the failure rate indeed fell within the industry stands, he only said "We donÂ’t disclose the actual number...we donÂ’t comment on that."
However, the actual numbers have prompted one of the major retail store chains, EB Games, to revise its warranty policies both in the US and Canada, due to the high cost of having to honor the warranties of all Xbox 360s being returned for hardware failure.
EB Games nearly doubled the price of the one-year over-the-counter warranty, and instead of giving a brand new console in exchange of the defective one (like in the previous warranty program), disgruntled customers are given refurbished consoles instead. It has to be noted that the change also applies to the PlayStation 3 and Wii, not just to the Xbox 360.
The case is not isolated only to EB Games. Best Buy retailers whom Daily Tech interviewed also revealed a similar trend. A Best Buy customer service department manager, who requested anonymity, said that the console failure rate was estimated at about "between a quarter to a third of all units sold." He attests:
We see a ton of [Xbox 360s] come back all the time. We strongly push our customers to buy our service plans no matter what they buy, but it is especially important for them with the Xbox 360. ItÂ’s a lucky thing for us that Microsoft extended the factory warranty to one year, because we were having a hell of a time dealing with the launch units. Now we don't have to deal with those broken [Xbox 360s] until their second year, for those who have purchased the two year plans.
Microsoft, in turn, increased their initial warranty period from 90 days to a full year. Fixing out-of-warranty consoles will prompt the consumer to shell out US$ 140 to get it fixed by Microsoft.
All things considered, it should be taken into account that it is unrealistic to expect any product to have a zero failure rate. What matters most is that Microsoft should make steps toward addressing the issue, and not only keeping consumers in the dark.
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How about this for a headline. The PS3 has no sales and no games and a ***** ass online feature.
Or
The Wii has retarded little kid games.
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If numbers are anywhere near 30% there is a good chance this will happen.
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I can see a huge class action against MicroSux. Jack Thompson, take note, this is the type of case ambulancing chasing low life would go for. :)
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PS3 is selling more than CrapBox360 at the same period.
Wii is kicking azz.
CrapBox is dying.
That's the truth man.
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Microsoft is in for a heap of trouble in the future, and they are going to have to answer to some very angry people when warranties start running out and 1/3 of the people are paying $100+ to get replacements that have a 1/3 possibility of failing. I definately see a class-action suit in the works.
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PS3 sales aree better than XBOX360 during the same period after launch.
Wii is kicking butt.
XBOX360 is dying.
That's the Real Truth man...
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So I ask you, whats the point of buying the 360?
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As long as mine is working I (like all other 360 owners) dont care what the supposed failure rate is.
I mean, look at the failure rate of the PS2 (lasers anyone?), and theres still tons of idiots who ran out and bought a $600 ps3. Not to mention that when their ps2 did fail they went out and bought another one, thus causing the success rate to increase.
And to all the ps3 fanboys who think this is the greatest news youve heard in a while, well, it probably is. Its not like you guys have any games to be excited about.
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-Gradius, Gran Turismo 5, Gran Turismo HD, Gretzky NHL, Heavenly Sword, Hot Shots Golf 5, Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier, Killzone 2, Lair, Little Big Planet, Metal Gear Solid 4,
Monster Hunter 3, My Singstar, Ninja Gaiden Sigma, Ni-Oh, Ratchet + Clank Future: Tools of Destruction, Redwood Falls, Resistance: Rise of Man, Ridge Racer 7, Shin Megami Tensei, Tekken 6, The Eye of Judgment, The Getaway, Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, WarDevil Enigma, Warhawk, White Knight Story, Wipeout. And thats just teh exclusives also E3 is next week so expect that list to increase. I wouldn't base a console with 90% 1st person shooters as having alot of games when they are all got to do with the same thing: point and shoot.
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Like I stated earlier, you fight for the 360 blindly and come of as an xbox fanboy. People don't want to be arsed about having to fix a broken console over and over again mk? Period, I'm not spending 400+ dollars for headaches end of story/discussion cause it's going no where.
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(Quote)Poor MicroSux lover, can't handle the truth? Can you!
PS3 sales aree better than XBOX360 during the same period after launch.
Wii is kicking butt.
XBOX360 is dying.
That's the Real Truth man... (Unquote)
Get off this board you fuc*king PS3 fanboy, why are you even here.
The 360 needs more stock coolers. but MS wont put more better ones in, i dont get why they cant put better ones inside.
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Because out of 60 people with 360's that I know, not one has had a problem....not one....so if it really was something as high as 33%, out of 60 people at least one would have it fail....
People are just looking for headlines and ways to bash the 360 since it's the best console out there and PS3 users know it, they have to find SOMETHING wrong with it to make themselves feel better....
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So far.. the ps3 is the only one that lets me do that. I'm one of the lucky ones who hasn't had a systems crash on the 360 yet (so i don't count in their percentage) but i'm far from happy with the system. It crashes/freezes on certain games... a lot. Literally every 20 minutes on Gears of War. I've spoken casually with about a half a dozen people and have yet to hear about a system that has worked flawlessly.
Since i'm out of warranty, it's come to the point where i don't want to buy games for a system which i'm not certain will be able to play them. Though i really wouldn't mind playing Lost Planet, Shadowrun or Crackdown...
I know this will probably fan the flames of brand vs brand posts but.. i don't really care what system i play as long as i can get through a game with no or very minimal problems. Most games are coming out for both systems now and i'm simply picking the system that so far hasn't let me down.
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And for that matter, if I were to do that and some class-action thing does come thru, then I am stuck because I decided to open it up.
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Well, after the s.e.x. party me and xman just had, i relized what a douche bag i really am! I am going to sell my 360 and get a PS3 since its got better hardware, software, and its getting more salls all over the World!
The Games are so much better for the PS3, like warhawk, lair, Ninja gaiden, GTA which is exclusive for ps3 owners, and Uncharted, MGS 4, Killzone which is way better than Gears, and also we are getting many more games than 360 this year.
.... You have.... halo 3..... Gears... Bioshock....Halo3? wow im gonna have so much fun whith this *****Box, 360. :( bad mistake in wasting 400 for something so gayyyy.
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Stop being such a *****ing fanboy. It's obvious there are problems, just leave it at that. Don't defend it, unless you're getting paid by Microsoft...and in that case, fix my goddamn 360 for free.
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it has all the best games out there and nothing comes close to it not even that PS3 I heard about being "twice as powerful" people are tripping on the quality of games on the 360 and the fact is that this is the best it has ever been and people are still *****ing! I have 2 360's one launch console the other bought in january and not one has given me any problems 33% sounds like the ps3 fangirlz trying to stir up something to get more people to doubt the 360 and buy a ps3. Fact is 360 is the best console out there and has lived up 2 true next-gen and the PS3 will never live up to the hype sony created
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All negative posts about Xbox are Jumped up (12 jumps for this article alone, making it the number one article). All pro Xbox comments are below the neutral 2 and 1/2 star settings, much like how yours is already at 0 stars while all the pro PS3 comments are rated to 5 stars even if they make no sense whatsoever and claim ridiculous things like GTA's exclusiveness to PS3 (which we all know is not true).
While I agree that the PS3 does suck major a** (I had a launch PS3, but sold it a little over a week ago), stating it here is like talking to a brick wall, only the wall isnt made of bricks, its made of idiot fanboys with no clue what theyre talking about. Just let them get it all out of their systems, youd probably be upset too if you bought a $600 console that has no games to look forward to (watch them make a list of games now that only a sony fan would be even remotely interested in).
The people are ignorant beyond ignorance. They believed Sonys hype and lies, so of course they would believe that the failure rate of a rival console is over 30%. The real truth is, we as Xbox 360 owners have an amazing console with a very strong library of games that help put the 360 at number one while they have a pricy bluray player with no real exciting games to play and its stuck far behind in last place (even the Wii easily doubles its sales). So let these kids complain, its the least we could do for them lol.
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It's not an us versus them thing, it's about getting a properly designed, constructed and reliable device.
Hopefully this will be brought into the mainstream media and microsoft will be forced to do something about it (recall or renewed warranty terms).
I don't want to pull my console apart to prevent it from breaking (lol, as if these "fans" would) as some raving fanboy suggests I should. I just want to play great games!
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Four systems though, you're a more patient person than I...
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Ace Combat 6
Alan Wake
Banjoo-Kazooie 3
Bioshock
Blue Dragon
Eternal Sonata
Fable 2
GTR
Halo 3
Halo Wars
Lost Odyssey
Mass Effect
MotoGP 07
Postal 3
PGR4
Splinter Cell Conviction
Too Human
Look through that and tell me how many FPS games you see. Because I see one. Not counting Bioshock and Mass Effect cuz theyre RPGs more than FPSs, even though they are in first-person
The full list of 360 exclusives (PS3 exclusives too) can be found here:
http://www.gamingtarget.com/article.php?artid+7064
Not too many FPSs in the full list either, people really need to stop bringing that up
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BTW I deffinetly see a lawsuit, and would love to help start it.. Some big money there, 10m units wow alot of money to that lawyer.
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enjoy looking at it in your entertainment center, enjoy the shiny black finish, enjoy the 10+ games that the system has most which have been on the 360 for over 6 months Me I'll enjoy my new games and a library of almost 200+ games
while u stare wondering what to do with that overpriced blu-ray player
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Also, people play it off like your 360 WILL die at some point....i've tortured my 360 and it's still fine....so it's not an inherent problem, just random defects....
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And who did they employ to design it? mo amatuers lol
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Wow and i thought Mister common sense was stupid you basically just hit his level of ignorance. This is fact get over it. Why do you think MS isn't telling us, well here is your proof.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_PlayStation_3_games
Compared to xbox games from this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Xbox_360_games
It seems MS will get pounded. by sony exclusives, And here People say they didnt have any LOL yea right And not only that ps3 has more games coming out than Xbox.
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Sony ps3 has some hardware problems but non that is that big, so right now add price and games coming out like Ninja Gaiden Sigma i say PS3 is about to open up a big can of success.
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Why should I have to buy attachments just to keep it functioning. I love your fanboy doublespeak...because yes, you too are a fanboy...even if you like to throw it at everyone else.
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Sucker...
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It's too bad that these "Sources" don't list any firm numbers and just say "a ton came back" "oh, more durring launch, forsure...uh uh..." ...because then I could throw your logic back in your face and say that the X number that have failed are only a small percentange of those sold worldwide....but unfortunately the sources are unreliable and don't post any reliable facts....Not to mention that MS stated that 360's built in 2005 had a higher defect rate and these sources are all mention the time of launch and the times following....there are at least 2 million 2005 consoles out there, that's alot that MS already admited will fail more....means absolutely nothing about recent 360s...
Said it before, i'll say it again...33% is too high of a percentage not to happen once in 60 times...regardless of the total # of consoles out there......
Also, how are these worldwide statistics when the "Facts" come from two former employees of EB and Best buy which are NA companies?
I don't beleive everything I hear, sorry to tell you.....
Guess what... I AM a former EB employee and I worked at the largest branch in greater new york....we sold the most consoles in our store then any other store in the country, and not one 360 came back defective.....one customer thought his was broken, but his cat had just wiggled the audio/video connection loose in the back....
You know how easy it is to lie on the internet ? Especially on some random survey ?
Not that I care too much, because my box works fine and i'm not worried one bit about it failing...
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Who's to say these "reliable" sources aren't just dealing with fallout from launch, and all new systems are fine ?
Both do say "at time of launch it was...." then give their oh so accurate "guesstimates"....
Nothing talks about recent figures, the poll didn't ask actual consumers....not to mention did they say anything about critical defects...
There are many people that buy the extended warranty and purposefully "break" their console after 6months to a year to get a new one.....or because they have the warranty will bring the console in for a replacement everytime the console does something odd, like a random freeze or something "oh noes gotta get it replaced" Sorry no....
something like the PS3's controllers going out of sync for a second randomly....not a big deal, it's an annoyance....but if you have a warranty, that's something some people would bring in their console to get replaced...again and again...thinking it will be fixed...
Funny how they also only Surveyed based on how many extened warranties were cashed in....
Sorry, too much guessing and random factors involved for the survey to be even remotely accurate....
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I am not in denial...I'd be in denial if I actual saw these figures comming to life and tried to say it wasn't....but in my experience no one has had problems with their 360....
Also, why would I be in denial when my 360 works fine, and that is really all that matters...
The only reason I am debating in here is to maybe get you idiots that beleive everything that is shoveled down your throats to do a little critical thinking on your own....
The article here states it like this is a fact, which is missleading....at least the source article says "could be as high as"
Sometimes I wonder why I bother....
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The fact is its worldwide from all of these two stores, now add this to the defective consoles going straight to the MS headquarters That turns into 37%+, wow thats alot, i rather take my chances with a pricey ps3, not alot games and one that doesn't crap out.
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Um and i really doubt the wii will at any point.
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Resulted in a class action law suit...
Who won last gen?
Sony.
Even with a *****y console. Had great games...just a *****ed up console.
I think the 360 will repeat the same thing.
Have great games. A *****ty console. vs. sony. A great console. *****ty games.
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On top of that I know way more than 60 people but only know which console about 10 of them have. I don't believe your numbers any more than I believe it when M$ says that they are at the industry average for defective consoles. Their claim is BS and so is yours!
Have a nice day!
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How do I know 60 people with 360's ? It's called 10 are real friends and the other 50 are people I talk to regularly on xbox live....it's really easy to make "friends" on XBL, and pretty much everyone has a mic...all my friends do, so we just blab away at each other while we play or watch movies.....guess PSN is lacking in that area as well...
But ya "so you say" and "so you say" and "So says he" and "so says the friend of he"
blah blah blah.....
I also like how you make up little facts like "37%" because of those being returned to MS headquarters....haha, ya let's pull some more numbers out of our asses....
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LOL! This is coming from a hypocritical retared ignorant fantard who is to ***** to respond comments made towards him. This my friend, is a FACT.
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BTW-you all make it out like Microsoft is so corrupt%u2026well remember how sony only gave each store around 20 ps3%u2019s at a time just to drive up the prices?
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http://money.cnn.com/2007/07/05/technology/microsoft_charge.reut/index.htm?cnn=yes
sounds like pessimists were right, This is a window of opportunity for Sony. I anticipate my 360 will be dead soon too.
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Or is it? The only reason that the PS3 is so pricy(and it's coming down in price- 100 dollars or pounds) Is because the researchers who make the actual console are paid off at first by SONY because they spent so much money making the PS3 the ultimate console, so the price goes down to the fact that it now gives SONY some leeway to kill Nintendo, once and for all.
And now, with about EVERY child getting a wii and a more than rubbish DS for birthday and christmas, Sony are more angry than ever, because of Nintendo's appeal to "little kids" as they are the majority of the population who buy it(not forgeting parents who think it is a good present because they are stupid retards who don't know the slightest thing about what would be considered "newer" consoles). And think they are just fun for the family. what a load of bollocks. Computer games should be played in private, I think.
As well as that, that's Microsoft for ya. They do this EVERY SINGLE F:UCK:ING TIME!!!! It's soooo annoying. They throw computer development into trying to beat SONY. If you are with me, you should also be estimating this. Prepare yourselves.
As a MAJOR computer gamist and conquereer, Completed over 2,000 title and am now in my forties, I can say that the Wii and the DS will only be on the market for at the most, another year and a half.
Why, you ask? well, Nintendo are forgetting something. They started off in the field of card games ages ago, and Sony saved japan by starting it's enterprise with cheap, high quality and efficient electronic equipment since the early 50's. After the war, Sony raked so much money from around the world for Japan, they more or less rebuilt Japan to what it is today.
So if you believe that a peice of absoloute crap(Wii,DS) can outdo the 360 and PS3 in time, then you are a complete pleb, my friend. Motion AND touch sensetive consoles win nothing in the long run. another year and a half, and EVERYONE will have a PS3 or a 360 because the consoles you see from Nintendo these days are all rubbish. Nintendo had its day with the SNES and the gameboy color, they should pack their bags, pay off all of their researchers and workers and P:ISS OFF.
Getting back to the topic at hand(finally), we must talk of the war between the sensible peoples consoles, the 360 and the PS3.
The PS3 is more expensive(as i'll say again) but has superior graphics than the 360 and better HD leads, therfore the transmission of HD resolution is more suited to it as it looks better. The array of games coming soon for the PS3 is going to be absoluetly MASSIVE. Take Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns Of The Patriots. It looks spectacular! The graphics and storyline look simply amazing. Look at crackdown(from the makers of GTA) on the 360. The images have thick outlines and look like cardboard cutouts running around. The storyline is terrible, the graphics are okay, and it is VERY short for a newer game. I was extremely dissapointed with it. As for GTA IV(4) I think at the moment, that Sam houser(executiv e producer of GTA) has ripped off Scarface: The world is yours as it is better and has all the features Grand theft Auto IV does and has excellent graphics for the PS2. Oh yeah, the storyline is incredible. So Rockstar Games can "Say hello to middle finger"!
the 360's controller is a lot worse than the PS3's because it has a lot less features. The PS3 Controller includes Wireless with no batteries, Six axis tilt for realism, light in wieght, and has carried on the perfect controller design that Sony invented for your pleasure. Yes it is the same as the older version, but the older one cannot really be improved. it was perfect- they just added more to it to make it even more pefect.
Yes they are really both good consoles, but
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