Rumor: Xbox 360's defect rate was as high as 68%

Microsoft's strategy was to debut their console first, no matter what the cost. It made sense. They had to. Xbox was a failed attempt, though admirable and MS knew consumers were ready for another console and that Sony didn't cater to the consumers they were aiming for. IMHO, I don't know how a product with such a bad failure rate (causing such an inconvenience) can remain so respected (Best Console: Ghporia 2007/2008) in the gaming industry. Either way, I tip my hat to MS for actually extending the warranty 3 years for RRoD consoles, but they still didn't extend the warranty for failed GPU's and faulty DVD-ROMs which were also major issues that forced my friend to shell out $100 to ship/repair his 360.

it's really funny on how the 360 has become very popular with the horrible failure rate.
I've known people who had to return/exchange their system (up to 9 times) and they still use the 360.

If M$ spent the extra money to QA their system, it would have saved them $4 billion in repairs.

@dunnypop

Yes, that is true, they would've saved a lot of money, but they also gained a large portion of marketshare purely by being first, not by competing hand-and-hand with the competition; that would have been much more difficult and probably wouldn't have yielded the same (or better) result that we see today.

Devin,

It's not like MS had a freaking choice.
I wouldn't have bought one if there's no such warranty.

Does that pic look like boobies to anyone else?

I guess I am a sucker, as that fellow said, there are some fellows that are on their 9th and still use it.

My second 360 just failed yesterday. I had been lucky...my probably high quality refurbished second 360 (of which the memory card slot came missing, along with the little flap covering the usb ports on the front) had given me the red rings several times, yet a simple restart would buy me a little more time. Though, that bought time was semi-lethal, as this "ominously lame riddling whatever" will warn...

As I hoped and (almost) prayed the mean mean red screen would be cast astray; my "generously extended" warranty from Billy "boy" Gates was withering away. Now, the friendly Indian customer rep says I must pay. She says "no a worry"! With 3rd 360 comes extra year of warranty, which will shall save the day!"

So, after I threatened to switch to PS3 or some other well made console (like that gay weeeeee!!!!), she says I get special discount on my repair rate, 25% off the usual $99. I love it! Wow, whadda deal! I get my third 360, it works for that one year its covered, then what!? Time for numero 4.

The reason I am a sucker and those fellas on number 9 is simple. I have invested at least $800 on this faulty device in the form of games and accessories, not to mention my two HDTVs I bought when they were much more expensive than today's "HDTVs"(which are really now just standard definition, "HD" annoys me now;but they were HD when I got 'em, b/c few others had them!) Keep in mind I'ma poor old college student.

So what am I and the other suckers to do!? Not pay the 25% special discount for bluffing to abandon the 360!? Lose all that money I spent on the games and accessories!? I'm hooked, just like the others. Even though I consider the 360 to now be pretty much completely outdated, I still enjoy watching my collection of downloaded documentaries worth over $100 (I told you I'ma sucker!) And I was looking forward to Fallout 3 as one of the last games I'll buy for this system.

Unfortunately, the 360 is overall the best console in my opinion this generation. Its hardware sucks, but the software rules in terms of consoles. The fact developers prioritize this system over PS3 doesn't hurt either...The fact I have games of which I enjoy and maintain not one, but TWO Xbox Live accounts keeps me on the hook (I really am a sucker now,huh!?).

The 360 is flawed beauty. As all beauty is expensive (especially the kind that talks and spends all your hard earned cash on shoes, f*ckin shoes!), I guess I'll pay. I'm sure the failure rate was much higher than 68% to chime in on that!

@ Dron:

Dammit. Now it does.

MattP - "A low yield like that is common and nothing to be ashamed about as it doesn't affect customers."
What?? Dude! You don't know what your talking about!
I work in R&D for portable devices and a 68% failure rate from manufacturing yield when a product is in full swing is unacceptable. In the Research and Development stage a 68% failure rate from the manufacture is acceptable- you got to work out the kinks. But when a product is sent to China after we design a final working product, and you get a result as M$ did, it only suggest one thing...the product is not ready for prime time. M$ knew that they had a stinker out of the gate and that the 360 wasn't a solid product, yet. This DOES affect the customer, because they received goods that weren't ready for prime time and could potentially fail. 70% of M$ money was being thrown out the window and the only reason they did this was to get a jump on market share which in turn would make-up for the 70% loss in production. M$ revised the warranty only after it was painfully obvious that the customer failure rate was very high so that they can avoid a class action suit which in turn would cost more then the billion spent on the revised warranty.
P.S.
I hate M$, but I love my 360.
So please M$ don't be this greedy in the future. There is only so much this jilted lover can take.

My point is that a relatively low yield does not necessarily reflect on the quality of the product actually being sold to the customer and that the summary of the article incorrectly implies that the defect rate of shipped units was equivalent to the detected defect rate off the line. 68% is substantially higher than even the highest estimates for the actual defect rate of shipped units.

Don't worry it took a little more than a week for mine to get back, they sent a replacement super fast!

You don't know everyone in the world which has a 360 so don't comment on the number.

Just as an example, I own two systems. I have a Premium I purchased about a year after launch and have since given to my girlfriend. I also have an Elite just now hitting about a year old.

Both systems have never had a system. Thinking of the people I know with the system and those that had a failed system, 68% is about spot on.

It might just be madden and not your system if it only freezes on this game. Reason I say that is because if you go to EA's website they clearly have admitted that the game freezes up during numerous times throughout the game and that they were releasing a patch soon. Hope its that and not your system.........good luck.

the Freudian slips here never cease to amuse me.

Edboy. Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. And sometimes sucking balls just means terrible.

You don't know what a Freudian slip is, do you? This was just shorthand and bad grammar.

lmao.....just as Edboy pointed out....if you only know what you are completely saying there buddy. You might want to read your comment before you finally post it ;)

Edog/anthonyjh - I think Edboy's comment was more referring to chojin having more than one guy on top of him - having to clarify by saying "the *other* guy ontop [sic] of me.".

Dunno about you guys, but ain't EVAR no dudes on top 'o ME! On the bottom neither. No way, no how, no dudes.

Viridium-good point. I totally missed that. My brain is so not there. Not that there is anything wrong with that. Live and let live! That's how we are going to avoid blowing each other up in the next 200 years.

Well i do have a falcon which comes with a add-on heatsink, I've cutted out the metal mesh and bumped the fans up to 12v

Well what else are we meant to do? I've recently purchased a PS3 and beyond Uncharted there's really nothing to bother playing. I only bought it for Blu-Ray tbh! Great for watching media as it's much quieter, but the games library is woeful at present and most of my gaming is still carried out on Xbox Live.

Listen, I used to sit around and say the same thing. Every single person I know at this point has had the RROD at some point. I've had it twice now and I couldn't take better care of the thing.

Sometimes user fault is to blame. It's not the case here. And even if it was, wouldn't it still be odd that it's THIS common? Putting these numbers together simply invalidates the idea that people not taking care of these things is even near the top of the list of problems.

You're lucky. I thought I was too. It took me quite a while to get the RROD, but it happens to anyone.

and if thats confusing, i mean the 360 is still the best system on the market!

I think that's just you!

You might be a sex addict, it's an epidemic! LOL!