New survey puts Xbox 360 failure rate at 42%

Microsoft truly does give the word “unacceptable” an all new layer of meaning. Despite the company’s endless assertion that the “Red Ring of Death” problem is all but eradicated on Xbox 360, evidence nevertheless continues to prove MS wrong. A new survey demonstrates that the 360 is still a big box of fail, with current expiration rates standing at 42%.

The poll quizzed 500,000 people, which is a pretty notable sample size. This far removed from the system’s launch, such a figure is simply unbelievable. By comparison, the survey reports that 8% of PS3 owners have experienced hardware problems, while a mere 1% of Wii owners needed their systems replaced. And if you want an even more shameful statistic, 55% of those who suffered 360 failures have had to repair or replace their system more than once. 

Truly amazing. As it stands, I don’t think there’s a person left on staff who has owned a 360 more than a year and not had it die on them. It’s never a case of “if” a 360 breaks, but a case of “when”, and there’s absolutely no justifiable reason for gamers to fear turning their console on every day for fear of it falling apart on them. What an absolute farce.

Survey Shows that 42 percent of all Xbox 360’s Fail [Digital Trends]