[Comments] Console failure rates October 2008 Feature

[charlesr]

http://www.ntsc-uk.com/feature.php?featuretype=hdw&fea=ConsoleFailureRatesOctober2008

Thanks to everyone that have been posting in the polls.

I tried to keep the text on the page discussion free.

So, I'll start with my own comments.

Whilst the sheer scale of the 360 issue was fairly apparant already, seeing the numbers brings home just how hard this must be hitting MS.
But even the PS3 figures surprise me. I'd not heard of many going wrong. It's still an unacceptable ratio.

Scary stuff.

[merf]

the xbox figures are staggering but I'd cavet them very slightly by saying the people likely to respond to a survey here are probably the heaviest users of a machine, not that this excuses MS's appalling build quality, but probably accounts for the very high failure rates a little.

[prinnysquad]

Kudos for getting the word 'anal' in a serious feature, but it's a shame you couldn't get 'red ring' in the same sentence as it.

[Dogg Thang]

Kudos for getting the word 'anal' in a serious feature,

I was just coming in to post this.

The figures aren't remotely surprising and seem to fit with anecdotal evidence. Out in the real world (non-internet), I know nobody who needed a PS3 or Wii replaced and I know nobody who didn't need their 360 replaced.

I'm quite happy with how that double negative turned out.

But, yeah, in terms of quality, the failure rates this generation have been shocking. It has influenced my purchase choices too - I'm far less likely to get a multi-platform game on the 360 as I just don't know if I'll have a working one in a few years. MS swapping them is all well and good but I just couldn't be arsed if it happened a few times. How some of you have gone through six without just taking it outside and smashing it with a hammer shows far more patience than I have.

[sj33]

I've mentioned it before, but after sending my machine back and forth to Microsoft (and even paying the £58 for the extra warranty), Microsoft simply no longer get my custom. I purchase for the PS3 and Wii instead now, although the fact that I have a sizable 360 backcatalogue leaves a sour taste in my mouth.

Regardless of format however, failure rates in general have been at a level that would not be accepted in other areas of the electronics industry, and it's thanks to the 'tolerance' of gamers that Microsoft are able to consider the 'band aids' to be an acceptable solution. If we don't vote with our wallets and refuse to give custom to the guilty parties, it will become acceptable practice that will carry through to future generations of console.

People rebuy the 360 because they already have a large amount of titles, or play a huge amount on XBox Live, and Microsoft deserve credit for making the 360 such a draw on a software level. But we're approaching a point in this console cycle where the competition is becoming more attractive, and I do think that people should probably look elsewhere after their 5th dead console. At risk of sounding like a fanboy, it doesn't really seem right if Microsoft come out on top in this console generation with such failure rates.

[melody]

I've mentioned it before, but after sending my machine back and forth to Microsoft (and even paying the ?58 for the extra warranty), Microsoft simply no longer get my custom. I purchase for the PS3 and Wii instead now, although the fact that I have a sizable 360 backcatalogue leaves a sour taste in my mouth.

Regardless of format however, failure rates in general have been at a level that would not be accepted in other areas of the electronics industry, and it's thanks to the 'tolerance' of gamers that Microsoft are able to consider the 'band aids' to be an acceptable solution. If we don't vote with our wallets and refuse to give custom to the guilty parties, it will become acceptable practice that will carry through to future generations of console.

People rebuy the 360 because they already have a large amount of titles, or play a huge amount on XBox Live, and Microsoft deserve credit for making the 360 such a draw on a software level. But we're approaching a point in this console cycle where the competition is becoming more attractive, and I do think that people should probably look elsewhere after their 5th dead console. At risk of sounding like a fanboy, it doesn't really seem right if Microsoft come out on top in this console generation with such failure rates.

I don't think those are the words of a fanboy, you are just pragmatic and I take much the same view. It's crazy that people are willing to reward Microsoft for their shoddy hardware with additional systems (there is even someone in the failure thread who mentioned buying an extra 360 as a backup for when his current one dies!). Buying multi-platform games for my 360 really doesn't make much sense when I cannot be sure of its reliability and I have a (quiet) PS3 under the telly too.

[eastyy]

friend of mine is on his 5th machine now.....my first machine went wrong laste about a year

[teddymeow]

It's quite depressing when you continually see people bringing back machines they have bought due to failure and I can't think of any other entertainment media where the required equipment to participate constantly needs repair / replacement.

I'd never had an issue with a console before I owned a 360. My launch day PS2 was only changed because I wanted a silver H chassis. I've always found Nintendo hardware to be of the highest quality in terms of build and lastability. I hope their constant shift towards a more multimedia bent with the DSi doesn't stop this tradition.

I really hope that Microsoft manage to sort out the hardware issues with their next machine as the services and features of the 360 are great but I can't see many people investing if the new machine is as umreliable and noisy as their current piece of kit.

[Vince]

It is terrible and i know Microsoft are easily the worst but it seems the PS3 has its issues too, i was looking for a Japanese 20GB one for a while and nearly every one i have seen on eBay is broken. In general the quality of all of this gens consoles is disgusting, all of my original consoles are still running, including DC, SFC, PC Engine (white + Duo), Neo Geo AES, PS1, PS2, MD yet my 360 died in less than year.

[egparadigm]

Regardless of format however, failure rates in general have been at a level that would not be accepted in other areas of the electronics industry, and it's thanks to the 'tolerance' of gamers that Microsoft are able to consider the 'band aids' to be an acceptable solution. If we don't vote with our wallets and refuse to give custom to the guilty parties, it will become acceptable practice that will carry through to future generations of console.

Maybe this is because there's very little real competition between console manufacturers. You can buy a dozen different types of DVD player. If one goes kaput, you can just get a different brand. If your Xbox goes kaput, you have to buy another one or put up with missing out of exclusives.

I don't think I'm actually going to get completely rid of my Xbox, even if my fourth machine does die. What I definitely won't be doing is buying a second/backup machine. Such behaviour puts a new spin on the phrase "captive audience".

[PrayforMojo]

I don't think those are the words of a fanboy, you are just pragmatic and I take much the same view. It's crazy that people are willing to reward Microsoft for their shoddy hardware with additional systems (there is even someone in the failure thread who mentioned buying an extra 360 as a backup for when his current one dies!). Buying multi-platform games for my 360 really doesn't make much sense when I cannot be sure of its reliability and I have a (quiet) PS3 under the telly too.

*cough* I think that might be me. In my defence, I admit I'm a total crack whore for my 360, but it's not quite as black and white as you make out. I can go weeks without even turning on my PS3 but I use my 360 most days. My first console red ringed which meant I'd be without it for whatever time it took for Microsoft to repair it (It's been nearly two weeks and I'm still waiting, btw), so as a heat of the moment thing I went out an bought an Arcade.

As far as impulse purchases go, it's not one I regret, because I now know I can relax if one of them ever goes tits up again. I certainly don't regard it as rewarding Microsoft for their hardware failings, either. Sure, you can look at it that way, and I could have spat my dummy out and sworn never to touch a 360 again, but what would that achieve? I kinda doubt Microsoft would feel the pinch, and all I would be doing is denying myself hours of entertainment for a cost of a night out.

[sj33]

Sure, you can look at it that way, and I could have spat my dummy out and sworn never to touch a 360 again, but what would that achieve? I kinda doubt Microsoft would feel the pinch, and all I would be doing is denying myself hours of entertainment for a cost of a night out.

It's not even a case of that tbh, it's more about the fact that I have a perfectly good, working PS3 here, and we're approaching a point where there's going to be little difference between the multiformat titles, and enough exclusives on both formats to warrant a purchase. Honestly, I'm not in a position where I can afford to buy a replacement console tbh, that's money that can go towards buying games for a console that I have, that still works.

It's healthy though. Microsoft have enjoyed a luxury position over the past few years where they were comfortably the format to go for in terms of quality. But now the quality and price divide is much closer, maybe they'll up the ante a bit and work on real solutions to their hardware issues.

[Ady]

Yeah, it really does beggar belief. I for one would love a 360 as there games that appeal, but I refuse to buy one because of the high failure rate which, to my mind is inexcusable.

[Pavey]

there is even someone in the failure thread who mentioned buying an extra 360 as a backup for when his current one dies

Seems over on av forums this is the thing to do. They are all at it.

[bwi]

I bought a back-up and i know plenty of people who bought an arcade when they sent theirs off to MS for repair.

Like a previous poster said, you have that sense of relief that "when it goes" you can carry on playing. As to the "none of my other consoles have been this bad brigade" i had numerous PS2s die with laser problems , xbox with the same and DC with the resetting.

Thats not defending MS as their failure rate is attrocious and the worst by far that ive seen.

Bri