360's failure rate now pegged at 16 percent

by Dustin Burg { Feb 14th 2008 at 2:00PM }

It's no secret that early Xbox 360 hardware breaks and breaks often. So much so that last Summer, Microsoft had to pony up a few billions to extend the 360's warranty just to make consumers happy. Now, with new failure estimates hitting the news-wire, we learn how bad it (potentially) was.

A recent report coming from electronics warranty analyst SquareTrade has estimated that 16.4% of all Xbox 360 consoles has a hardware defect. A huge number when compared to the estimated 3% failure rate of both the PS3 and Wii. The estimate was calculated from a sampling of 1000 consoles as SquareTrade reports that overheating problems were the main cause of hardware failures. They also expect the failure rates to climb over time as more and more 360 owners encounter the eventual effects of overheated consoles. The bright side at the ends of this gloomy, monochrome rainbow is the fact that 16.4% is a lot less than the once rumored 30% failure rate. So, that's kind of good. We guess that's the best job we can do at putting a "good news spin" on this.

Tags: hardware, microsoft, rrod, xbox-360

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

xvertigenx @ Feb 14th 2008 2:08PM

I don't believe it is not higher than 16%. Every single person I know has had at least one red ring if not multiple times.

But given that... 16% of a thousand is 160(!) failed consoles. That is just outrageous.

Goldenorbs @ Feb 16th 2008 9:50AM

I agree i've had four elites since christmas due to various faults and i think it suits microsoft not to comment if the failure rate was lower than 16 percent they would soon comment but its much higher i have heard its as high as 60 percent still i wouldn't swap to another console i have two 360's so when one is being repaired i have a backup

nerrrrrrd @ Feb 14th 2008 2:16PM

Being one of those who have had a 360 for years w/o a problem, I use to believe it was a vocal minority with the 3rod problem. but now out of the dozen or so people i personally know, only me and one other person haven't gotten the 3rod.

Viridium @ Feb 14th 2008 3:05PM

My launch 360 ran fine for just over a year, before suddenly red-ringing during a heated game of... Uno. Since then, EVERY SINGLE ONE of my crew of 6 have had the red ring. Their boxes ranged from launch, to purchased at the first Christmas (so only a several month span).

Magic Whiskey @ Feb 14th 2008 2:18PM

I'm on my second console.

I think the RRoD issue is essentially over, right? I think it's only older units that may fail from now on. That seems to be what i've heard, at least.

Jeramy @ Feb 14th 2008 2:26PM

yeah i used to think that it was just blown completely out of proportion.
then crackdown decided to let me experience the rrod. out of the handful of people i know with consoles, only one of my friends had the rrod as well.

but i don't see how they expect the rate to climb if ms has taken measures to counteract this (new heat sinks and cpu's). i suppose there are old consoles out there that have yet to get broken, but at least the new ones should be safe.

Michael Paul @ Feb 14th 2008 3:42PM

I don't think it's the game being played when the RRoD hits that matters. Cloning Clyde is no graphical wonderland but it's what I was playing when my first 360 croaked.

And I think the 16% will go up as older 360's eventually fail, but that factoid will likely be swept under the rug...

mattclarkie @ Feb 14th 2008 2:27PM

RROD seems to occur more in the US, is it something to do with the different PSU used, or did you just get a lot more launch units/crap ones.

I have a launch that has run almost flawlessly, and I only know of 1 person who has had a console die, out of a dozen or so. I am not saying that Europe doesn't see a fair share of RROD, but there seem to be fewer.

xvertigenx @ Feb 14th 2008 4:12PM

That is an interesting point. I wonder what Japan's failure rates are. I can only imagine a high failure rate there combined with the already reluctant stance on buying the console regardless would really kill MS's chances there (not that they have one, but still).

The Sound @ Feb 14th 2008 3:50PM

You don't hear about Japan because, well, we all know no one buys the 360 over there....

Code601 @ Feb 14th 2008 2:29PM

I just fear that many many hours of gta 4 will cause xboxs across the world to overheat.

MDJ2010 @ Feb 14th 2008 2:34PM

Not sure about that matt, i mean you will hear of more failures in the US simply because there are a lot more people who own 360's as apposed to the UK (for obvious reasons), but Id say the percentage failure rate is about the same, im currently waiting for my console back (which has been an agonising wait) and know that a good number of Europeans on my friends list have experienced the RROD at least once, id be amazed if the real filure rate isnt in reality a lot closer to 30%. Thank god the 360 has all the best games, otherwise it would have been a big failure, I know that if it wasnt for my desire to play Gears, Halo, COD4 etc... that I would have lost my patience completely with M$!!!

Neuromancer @ Feb 14th 2008 2:39PM

Among my friends and family the failure rate is closer to 85%. I can think of seven cases where the Red Ring of Death struck, with just one turning out OK. Two of the seven 360's have been back to the puppy farm twice, first for the RRoD and second for other issues.

That being said, and despite massive hardware failure, the 360 is still OK in my book. It has the best games and online services and thats what matters most.

cadaver @ Feb 14th 2008 2:43PM

I think this is hilarious, 16.4% failure rate???

100% of my friends list has had to send their console in to MS at least once.

I am on my second 360, and I am one of the few that missed the cutoff for the warranty extension, since mine expired before they extended it.

mattclarkie @ Feb 14th 2008 2:46PM

I thought it was extended for anyone who bought a console since launch?

Knight Marquise @ Feb 14th 2008 2:52PM

So should I find that 16% hiarious as well, considering I own 5 360's, including a launch console, bought another 2 for adult kids of mine last Christmas, and have seen 0% failures?

Anecdotal evidence is worthless, and people get too caught up on the internet thinking it repreresents the real world in statistics. It doesn't.

I know the 360 has hardware issues simply because MS extended the warrenty and admitted their failure rate was unacceptable. 16%, although unacceptable, does sound realistic.

xvertigenx @ Feb 14th 2008 4:12PM

Well well, lucky you? It is not just a core group of internet users that have experienced it. Tons have or MS would not have even of offered the warranty. a 3 year warranty?! Seriously that is unheard of for this type of product. Kudos to them for attempting *something*, but not changing the fact that they know themselves that the numbers are extremely high.

Also, I am sick of the "small group on the internet" argument as a whole. That might have been true 5 or even 3 years ago. But internet usage has grown leaps and bounds even to the common "uninformed" public.

And lastly, count your days my friend. There is no way in hell all 5 of your consoles is going to last. Impossible I say!

Dac @ Feb 14th 2008 2:50PM

xbox360 # 6.
Nuff Said. I cool about it though, disk eating cookie monster x box's and the red wink(s). Got a couple free controllers courtesy o microsoft.
That being said though, I did miss out on the halo 3 beta cause of damn rings.
If I miss something big again like gta4 launch I better get a personal fluffer to attend to me lol.

MDJ2010 @ Feb 14th 2008 3:06PM

That should be in the damn warranty!!!! If I was without my console for the GTA4 release Id have to go buy another, I just couldn't handle it!!

L4MB @ Feb 14th 2008 3:02PM

not a problem for me yet, but i have had some loading issues with Oblivion, CoD4, some others. I'm assuming it will happen eventually, just hope i can get a replacement from MS.

Josh @ Feb 14th 2008 3:17PM

i don't know many people who haven't had to send their 360 in at some point with the 3rod problem.. 16% seems rather low. but whatever.

what was the failure rate of ps2's, by the way? that had to be pretty bad too, though theirs lasted longer initially

Drachen77 @ Feb 14th 2008 3:41PM

I know 5 people with launch consoles or close to it that haven't had it fail. Mine failed, but it was a disk drive failure not the RRoD. 16% is bad but I was hearing stories of 30% for a while so I guess it wasn't quite so bad.

Hopefully this thing has been resolved and it will go away. It amazes me that the 360 has maintained such a high sales rate with the highly publicized failures. It just shows you what a good game lineup can do.

RK Bentley @ Feb 14th 2008 3:43PM

Had my 360 since launch and had no problems with it. Then it 3rod during COD4.

Waiting for it to come back so I can sell it and get an arcade version.

Dac @ Feb 15th 2008 4:26AM

you will more than likely not get you original console back. I'm on good o'le numa 6, and M$ has never sent me the same console back. Just a happy lil piece of paper saying to get me back to my gaming faster heres a new refurb that will break in 3 to 5 months until we fix the problem. Thank you for beta testing our hardware.

Btw I love my xbox360, and hey bitch to a csr long enough and you'll get more free stuff! (aka 2 wireless controllers granted 1disk read 4 rrod(

Sky Shark X2 @ Feb 14th 2008 4:20PM

I think the people who are still getting the RROD are the ones who got refurbs back that were just plained fixed without new heat sinks in. Also by now the cooler and smaller chips have worked their way into the main stream of 360s at stores along with the new heat sinks so the newer 360s are most likely better protected against the RROD. As word spreads about the 360 RROD issues going down in number it will possibly help the 360 sales greatly.

darkzero63 @ Feb 14th 2008 4:33PM

Why is this even an issue- microsoft said they would replace ANY console that is affected by the RRODs FREE OF CHARGE for up to three years...

pkilla @ Feb 14th 2008 4:59PM

That is true but it still takes 2-6 weeks to get it back after sending it in, so thats what is annoying about console failures. Hopefully MS sends back new hardware because the problem doesnt get fixed if you put a band-aid on it (just replacing the one part that failed are shipping back the same console)

AngryNorwegian @ Feb 14th 2008 4:48PM

Jiiz...
I dont get it.. The failure rate can't be that bad.
I have two 360's bought on launch day and have no problems.

Here's what has happened to them in these years:
-they survide a housefire(everything else in the house got smoke damaged..)
-3 days in -20C
-one of them is constantly abused due to unforseen epeleptic siezure(the wife cant reach it anymore so its no longer a problem ..)
And last but not least.. children...

pkilla @ Feb 14th 2008 5:02PM

And? Your point makes no sense?
You are part of the few that didn't have problems. I though I was in that group also once (actually everyone was in that group at one point or another) but after two returned consoles, im a believer.

AngryNorwegian @ Feb 14th 2008 5:09PM

sorry.. what i meant to say was that with all the extreme crap my 360's have gone trough they still have no problems whatsoever!
So i have a hard time beliving that so many can have problems just due to some overheating..
( I know there are lots of malfunctioning 360's out there, but 16% is a little steep)

dylan @ Feb 14th 2008 5:17PM

My 360=never failed and I always leave it on for days.
My Wii=total fail, had to have the entire console replaced. (Thanks to the big N for being so nice about replacing it out of warranty tho.)

ZeroCorpse @ Feb 14th 2008 6:35PM

Three 360s, including a day-one launch console, and none of them have ever RROD on me, even after all-night gaming and movie sessions, and days of downloading.

My current is a Falcon, but I didn't go looking for it.

I think 16% may be about right, but I also think this is reflecting DEFECTIVE consoles, rather than all the consoles that RROD because the guys using them were idiots who blocked vents, enclosed them in sealed entertainment centers, or otherwise abused their console.

Yes, a lot of them RROD, but I think that 16% of them were legitimately MS's fault, while the others were all user error.

I've seen how some of the idiots out there take care of their stuff.

nnarum23 @ Feb 14th 2008 7:58PM

Why do we keep bringing up 360 failure rates?

GregA @ Feb 14th 2008 8:34PM

My conspiracy theory of the day is that the MS hating blog'o'sphere wanted to bury the shortages story and the NPD numbers so they trolled everyone into this instead.

MDJ2010 @ Feb 14th 2008 8:42PM

Look the thing is is that people LOVE this console, it has delivered us some incredibly fun games, and when it fails it is amazingly frustrated. Until I got my RROD I thought people over reacted at the annpyance of it. But the fact is that for most of us the idea of being without our 360 is pretty damn agonising. So for all those that havnt experinced the RROD I suggest some symapthy and acknowlegment of your own fortune. But for those that are, like me, sitting waiting for their consoles to come back I can only say hold stong, it will be worth the wait. Man I'm Drunk!!!!