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30% of Xbox 360 consoles are made of FAIL photo

Listening to Microsoft might lead you to believe that all is roses and sunshine in the world of the Xbox 360. After all, the company's never been slow to claim that the old 'red rings of death' problem afflicting Xbox 360 machines is not as widespread an issue as we might think. However, a new report from SmartHouse calls the failure rate for the Xbox 360 'massive' and suggests that as many as 30% of the consoles are being sent back to Microsoft for repairs.

The report also details shoddy repair practices, including the story of one consumer in Australia who was sent back a dirty, secondhand machine instead of his own one and got seemingly dicked over by the 'Soft at every turn. Despite this and a plethora of horror stories regarding broken consoles all over the internet, Microsoft emphatically denies there is a problem, stating that "There is not a single root cause or systemic issue with any Xbox 360 console but we continue to look at ways to make improvements to our products and services." You heard MS, folks, there's no reason at all why Microsoft is having to repair so much hardware. It must be elves and goblins breaking them. 

While I do love my Xbox 360, there is no denying that Microsoft needs to get its act together for what is becoming a horrible farce. Its failure rate is said to be considerably higher than other machines and is certainly much more documented. For a company that wants the Xbox 360 to be at the top of the food chain, it needs to seriously learn how to start making the Xbox 360.

[Via Xbox360Rally and I got by with a little help from my F1tch]


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64 comments | showing # 51 to 64

Chuma's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/22/2007 09:43
Chuma
dvddesign:

I don't think that is even remotely good enough. I don't buy something to last a year and then send it back and wait a few weeks to get a replacement that may just be a refurb. I expect to have something with some degree of a lifespan to it sure, but to last well beyond its warrenty period.

As someone who actively collects consoles and expects them to work a decade later when he wants to dig them out to play again, the Xbox360 is really not even close to a purchase right now. I am however very hopeful they will sort these problems out.
RICHARD BLOCKER's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/22/2007 09:58
RICHARD BLOCKER
I bought mine about 4 months after launch. I've dropped it twice. Once from about 5' and once from about 3'. Aside from an occasional freezeup, it runs tits. I have met some really great players through XBL that I always play with whenever I get on. 90% of my gametime is spent playing FPS's. So you can say that I'm a happy customer. I wouldn't say I'm a fanboy. I never owned an O.G. X-box, and always loved the playstation(1&2). I just cant justiy buying a PS3 yet. I really feel bad for all the people who've shared their horror stories with MS. My friends list is pretty full most of the time, and I regularily converse with 25-30 people(clan shit). I have only heard of two people with problems. I'm not discounting the 30% figure with my own personal expirience, I'm just pointing out how good of an expirience I've had.

I also submitto you that Sterling is a X-box basher.
MechaMonkey's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/22/2007 10:27
MechaMonkey
Sterling is an equal opportunity basher. If someone needs bashing, he'll step up to the plate.

I'm going to amend my previous statements. The 30% rate may be accurate based on the multiple failures of individual consoles, or the failures of dirty replacements. If that's where this number is coming from, I'll believe it. 30% of consoles purchased still sounds a bit far-fetched, but I've found an explanation that I'll accept. Congrats, you've won me over.

If this is the case though, the problem is as much with the hardware but with Microsoft's terrible repair/replacement services. That's where the collective rage should be focused.
Joe Burling's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/22/2007 11:15
Joe Burling
Pete, all fanboys suck. There are a few people out there who will think MS never does anything wrong.

I think most everyone will agree to the statement that SuMizzle made: "Good games. Great online. Shit hardware."

And for future reference, calling Microsoft, "M$" and then making fun of MS fanboys: isn't that kinda like the pot calling the kettle black, Mr. Sony? See the first sentence of this comment.
LeeMon's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/22/2007 11:21
LeeMon
"Random EBGames manager: nowhere near 30% of Xbox 360 consoles have been made of FAIL, but we got a lot of release-day returns"

Fixed your grossly inaccurate headline for you.

Here's what you're actually quoting: "According to an EB Games store manager, who wished to remain anonymous... 'We are definitely getting faulty hardware returns of the Xbox 360, but no-where near as much as we used to when it first came out," he said. 'On initial launch, it was close to 30 per cent of our [Xbox 360s] were coming back faulty.'"

Don't mind me, I'm still looking for somewhere I can get gaming news where the writer isn't spending most of an article dancing around their self-constructed burning effigy of the latest object of their mockery, rather than accurately representing what other people are saying.

Yeah, I know, futile effort.
MechaMonkey's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/22/2007 11:44
MechaMonkey
Amendment revoked. I agree that their repair/replacement service sucks and needs to be revamped entirely, but the shenanigans are back in full force on that number. I'm going to have to start reading the source material more. "Fanboy" all you want, but this report is bogus.

1) Stating that 30% of all consoles failed based on an anonymous source citing an anonymous EB Games manager is downright absurd.

2) The article itself states that return rates have dropped.

3) 100 complaint e-mails in almost two years? I'm not impressed.

4) If the original article and this one had focused on the poor repair/replacement service, instead of these failure rates based on no real hard data, then we may have had an well thought out article with a good point to make. Instead, we get sensationalizing about hitting the weak points for "massive failure rates".
Vigor's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/22/2007 15:55
Vigor
I had an elite its just as loud as my friends premium xbox 360. And i got the red ring of death on the second day of having it. I sold it and got a ps3 and its 10 million times quieter.
UltraViolence's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/22/2007 16:03
UltraViolence
Sure it's quieter, that's 'cause you ain't running shit on it.
MIRITE?
cleopatrudo's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/22/2007 16:57
cleopatrudo
I dread for the day when the red reaper comes knocking to my bedroom
Chuma's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/22/2007 20:43
Chuma
MechaMonkey:

to my knowledge, Microsoft have done a pretty damned good job (Sterling work you might say - ahahaha.. god I'm funny) in replacing or repairing the consoles that have gone down with a Red Ring of death.

Now yes there may has been some inroads into the issue and maybe the failure rate is less now than it was, but the fact remains that 4 of the 5 people I know personally (not online) who own an Xbox360 have had it fail. This does not mean I believe 80% of Xbox306s fail, but it DOES mean that there is an unacceptable long term risk of one going down, and I am not paying out money for something that might die on me.

Put it this way, if you knew a car was going to fail on as low as 10% of all sold, would you take the risk of 1 in 10 not being yours?
Expiration's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/22/2007 21:26
Expiration
MechaMonkey's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/23/2007 08:28
MechaMonkey
I agree with you 100%, Chuma.
Xtrm21's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/24/2007 01:09
Xtrm21
ok...made TO fail i take it?!

Anyways....all this arguing and it's just one article based off no facts or actual numbers. It could be more or less than 30% but to reply to a few comments here: Numerous failures/replacements could be adding to the percentage? Not likely, your talking about 30% of made consoles failing...your just getting refurbs back so that's not gonna inflate the percentage of new consoles failing. As for it being at 30%, read the article! The guy said at initial release it was close to 30%, but he doesn't know nor have facts. And the Sidney retailer said it must be well over 30%...again, he doesn't know nor have facts/numbers.

Mind you, I'm no fanboy or someone who's just a happy go lucky owner who never had a problem with his console. Far from it actually. I've sent my console in 3 times...crashed the day I got it(launch console), replaced it a year later due to red rings and then got a rear usb port replaced the third time. Also had 2 controllers replaced, and man does their customer service suck!! So no, I'm not taking their side I just like to see facts and talk the truth. They definitely have issues with their console and have handled it terribly, but where can we get true numbers on all this!?
Lamfxs's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/05/2007 07:00
Lamfxs
All I know is that Xbox 360 is an awesome console with great games and live internet. But the console itself will not hold all the features it is made for. For example I have heard that Forza is causing overheating problems than other games. This itself just show you that this console have been made for lesser technology capacities. I am not a technical person nor an analyst but just search in Google or go to my favorite tech support site for Xbox 360 Support and you will see all the complaints then you will recognize there is a major problem with this console and 30% just seems right...
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