Topic: Microsoft Admits High 360 Failure Rate

[couchmonkey]

Article on IGN...interesting.  Microsoft is giving free out of warranty repairs to any Xbox 360 owner who bought their console before Jan.1 2006.  I wonder what the actual failure rate is?  I recall Matt C suggesting in his blog that he was the only (or almost the only) staff member whose launch 360 was still working, and it crapped out on him at the time he wrote that entry.

I'd love to hear the actual numbers, of course Microsoft doesn't want anyone to know those numbers, but they must be monumental for Microsoft to extend the warranties for those customers.

[Bill Aurion]

I've been lucky...so far...

(Totally jinxed myself, probably... ;_; )

[Nick DiMola]

Well its pretty cool that Microsoft is actually extending the warranties. I mean they technically could be big asses and just say, screw you guys deal with it.

[Ceric]

If Microsoft releases a new version for the sole reason of lowering the failure rate.  It should tell the user what it is to prompt them wanting to buy the new one instead of going for the clearanced older one.

[King of Twitch]

A small price to pay for living room conquest.

[SixthAngel]

What happens to everyone who already had a 360 sent back or fixed?  They probably get jack squat.  (Unless the original warrantly lasted a long time)  I am also going to guess that most of the bad xbox360's also died already meaning this doesn't help many people and simply appears as a good PR move with little consequences.

[Caliban]

Quote
Originally posted by: SixthAngel
What happens to everyone who already had a 360 sent back or fixed?  They probably get jack squat.  (Unless the original warrantly lasted a long time)  I am also going to guess that most of the bad xbox360's also died already meaning this doesn't help many people and simply appears as a good PR move with little consequences.

I read something about that and apparently they will also get some kind of refund, and I think it was a full refund.

[jasonditz]

Say what you will about a rushed product with a high failure rate, at least Microsoft is trying to make things right.

[WuTangTurtle]

true, i only wish they took this policy up back when both my original XBOX's died within a year.  Both times they wanted me to pay like $80-$150, yeah that was BS, good thing i bought a extended warranty through my job place.  I wonder how Sony and Nintendo will handle things if things go crazy on them....

[couchmonkey]

Well, it's hard to say just how bad it is for Microsoft.  I think even Sony would do something like this if the failure rate was extremely high.  You don't want half of your existing user base telling their friends that the machine is crap and your company won't do anything about it.