AfterDawn: News

Microsoft responds to Watchdog episode

Microsoft Corp. has responded to an episode of BBC's Watchdog that investigated complaints from consumers about flaws with the Xbox 360 console. In two cases, two different gamers claimed their console stopped working shortly after the warranty term was up. Each customer had to pay £80 to get the issue fixed, which neither thought was acceptable for consoles just over a year old.

Microsoft responded by saying that the vast majority of Xbox 360 users have an outstanding experience with the console, and that Xbox 360 has "no systemic issue". The company did admit to receiving a number of isolated complaints from users, but that the return rate is significantly lower than average for the consumer electronics industry.



"Customer satisfaction is our highest priority, and we do everything we can to take care of gamers who may be having problems with their consoles," the company said. "Anybody having an issue with their Xbox 360 console should call customer service immediately so that we can help. Microsoft voluntarily provides customers with a one year manufacturer's warranty in the UK which operates over and above the legally required retailer warranty for all consumer goods."

Source:
GamesIndustry.biz

Written by: James Delahunty @ 15 Feb 2007 14:32

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• 15 comments

• Colbybear

  Haha! Should have got the extended warranty. Probably the one and only time it would have actualy been worth while to purchase.

  15.2.2007 14:53 #1

• SGSeries2

  There's a reason why warranties are typically only a year long.
  
  In retrospect (and slightly off topic), I don't think I've ever seen a returned Wii, but it really hasn't been out near as long.

  15.2.2007 15:28 #2

• hughjars

  You don't need an extended warranty.
  
  You just need to know British consumer law and what to do.
  
  1 year is not a 'reasonable' time for an expensive piece of CE equipment to turn it's toes up at.
  (it remains undetermined just what does qualify as a 'reasonable period of time'.)
  
  The small claims court was invented for this sort of stuff but unfortunately the people are the last to be informed about how this works.

  15.2.2007 15:32 #3

• Riotard

  Ok first of all, i got my 360 in the first batch, the ones that were ment to over heat! Mine, never doen that, secondly i have doen soem research into the faulty 360's, mainly the first batch, and basically the only major fault came in the first batch, which were around in 2005. Microsoft, have since issued a statement, saying taht any consol bought in 2005, they will repair for free, secondly, microsoft aren't charging £80 they will send the box with free postage, you put your 360 in, 4-8 weeks later a whoel brand new 360! I know this because myf riend had a problem with his, because it kept bricking. Basically Microsoft are actually being nice, for once, if idiot actually did soem research into it, they can get their 360 fixed for free, and bloody hell, i got mine in the 'faulty batch' ones, never had a single problem with it! What must peopel be doign to their 360 to get them broken? Mines fallen on the floor many a time, nothing has happend, Do peopel hit their 360's with a base ball bat or something? Just look after the machine and it will do fine!

  16.2.2007 03:21 #4

• Lethal_B

  My 360 encountered a hardware failure after 8 months.. what a waste of money. I had the original xbox for 5 years without a problem..

  16.2.2007 04:55 #5

• BriManN

  the only problem i have with mine is every now and again the led will flash red and go to the "call customer service" screen.. but all i have to do is restart it and it works fine... it may happen the following month, but i just repeat the prosses... so pretty much, just like rio said, just watch after it, and it will be fine
  
  
  ...Bri ManN...

  16.2.2007 05:44 #6

• ripxrush

  If there are only a FEW breaking after the 1 year warranty i dotn know why M$ dosent just replace them for free! It looks GOOD especialy for a company like M$ with a bad history of hardware breakdowns & software issues on release dates! I am in the HVAC industry, most of the older furnaces have a 5 year Parts warranty but if it i sa year or 2 out or warranty there is a 90% chance that we will replace the part for free unless there was obivous abuse!

  16.2.2007 07:51 #7

• psyantist

  File under "Shit Happens"
  
  Seriously though, things break and electronics do go bad no matter how much they cost. Deal with it.

  16.2.2007 08:05 #8

• dragonx17

  OK - Microsoft Needs go get thier caca together.
  
  First my xbox was a first generation bought on day 1 broken within 6 months but was covered by Best Buy.
  
  Second My friends broke within 8 months. He had to replace thru microsoft.
  
  Third another friend of mine bought the dam thing and it was broken right out of the box. Frys Electronics replaced it for him.
  
  Fourth my brothers Broke last week and is in the process of replacing thru Microsoft.
  
  And finally Fifth - I have heard of numerous people from my work talking about how someone in thier have had and xbox 360 fail on them. Not having a clue that they are covered. One of them Having To replace the piece of crap several times already.
  
  What gives....?????

  16.2.2007 14:41 #9

• hughjars

  Originally posted by ripxrush:i dotn know why M$ dosent just replace them for free! - Because under British law once the period of warranty has expired the contract resides with the supplier (ie the shop you bought it from).
  
  If enough people knew & pursued their rights we wouldn't get this mess.
  
  The product is expected to last a 'reasonable' period (it doesn't matter what the guarantee term says).
  1 year is not 'reasonable' by any sensible definition for £200/£300 CE goods.
  (that term might last several years, who knows until a court decides....although usually these matters are settled out of court)
  
  Sadly with too many people happy to accept whatever or any myths they get fed hardly anyone bothers taking this type of case to the small claims court.
  If they did suppliers would be dealing with this (and would not be too long in chasing up their suppliers about it).
  
  Ignorance, clearly, is not bliss.

  16.2.2007 15:50 #10

• User457

  Bought one of these for my son @ x-mas. By 28th of Jan 2007 had the dreaded ring of death (3 Red LED's).
  
  Contacted microsoft who offered a free repair, decided to contact Woolworths (store i bought from) who even though i was over the usual 28days replaced my 360 with a new one.
  
  Hope this lasts longer.

  17.2.2007 12:18 #11

• borhan9

  A console should last more than one year. Maybe they need to bring out something like a "test play" before you decide to buy it. Something like when we test drive a car.

  17.2.2007 22:47 #12

• croy00

  Ya well instead of the thirty day warranty now it is seven days. What does that tell you about their crappy console. Mine sounds crd in it was toast I got a new 360 that has supposedly been tested. I go too put Gears of war in it for the first time and the case has not been properly constucted and I had to take it apart to get the disk tray to even eject. After the seven days was up my drive is chewing the gears in their like a 12 year old first learning to drive stick. This being my second 360 I have stripped it to nothng. It looks like terminator but it is what I had to do to get it to stop eating games and actually eject. They throw these things together so fast and see the green ring come on and think it's all good maybe they should test them.

  20.2.2007 21:47 #13

• Hvygear

  I have had 3 yes 3 xbox 360 systems since last june!. Two of them died and needed an internal reset etc etc (dreaded 4 rings of light).
  The one i currently have just yesterday chewed up my rainbow six vegas game!, i was playing it for about half hour and then for no reason i got an error message saying that the disk can not be read, i take the disk out only to find that it's been fractured in 2 places. It's completely unplayable.
  
  The 360 is NOT a console to be proud of, for me anyway. I'm ditching it as soon as i can get my hands on a Wii.

  23.2.2007 02:13 #14

• zander47

  ok now i have an xbox 360 and i watched the episode of watchdog my xbox have the ring of death and i have waranty on it still but i think microsoft is riping us off the reason why this is happioning is the thermal glue it is drying up over heating the sytem to make thing short and we have to pay for there mistake how i know they are not doing jack is because the 360 elite is useing the same glue

  31.5.2007 12:38 #15