According to a games site called Ripten.com retailers suggest a staggering failure rate among Xbox 360s. According to the report 33% of Xbox 360s fail. A quote from someone identified only as Matthiew G - a former “Associate” says that other console systems including PS3 (and presumably Wii) have a marginal failure rate of less than one percent. An unnamed source from a Best Buy says a ballpark guess of Xbox 360 failure rates is between one quarter to one third of all units sold.
Microsoft officially maintains Xbox 360’s failure rate is between 3% - 5%. But the article points out that popular perception is that this might not be an accurate guess.
The article concludes that readers should give PlayStation 3 a second or third look when considering a next gen console purchase.
I applaud the grass roots investigation. However, store clerks accounts of system failure rates is not reliable criteria. But then Microsoft’s own estimate is also probably exaggerated in its favor.
The problems Microsoft had with the red circle of death are well known. Overheating problems have plagued Xbox 360 since its release.
Microsoft has since extended its warranty to a full year (editor's note: Microsoft has just extended that to a full three years). Both Brando and I experienced the problem with our own systems and Microsoft support performed top notch service getting our Xbox 360’s repaired and returned within a week.
It’s certainly fair to say Xbox 360 has failed out of the box more than Wii or PS3. But should that influence your next console purchase? Absolutely not!
Only one piece of advice matters – buy the console that plays the games you want to play.
GAME ON!