It would only happen in America! A Chicago man who bought Microsoft's recently-released Xbox 360 videogames console has sued the world's largest software maker, saying the new video game console has a design flaw that causes it to overheat and freeze up.

The proposed class action claims that in Microsoft's bid to gain share in the $25 billion global video game market, the company was so intent on releasing the Xbox 360 before competing next-generation machines from Sony and Nintendo that it sold a 'defectively designed' product.

Robert Byers, who brought the suit, said the power supply and central processing unit in the Xbox 360 overheat, affecting heat-sensitive chips and causing the console to lock up. In addition, early reports from angry gamers and a handful of news sources point to a possible problem with Microsoft's new Xbox 360 console.

On forums across the Internet, some gamers are complaining that their consoles freeze or begin flashing an orange warning light. Some are claiming that they've already called Microsoft support lines and that the problems seem to be connected to the hard disk drive. Of course, reports are thin as of yet, and no one knows if this is a real issue, merely a few isolated cases, or even simply rumour.

A few hardware problems are common any time a new console is launched, but considering the severe shortage of consoles, even among those who pre-ordered months in advance, one has to wonder what's going to be done about any lemons sold. Did Microsoft reserve enough units to replace faulty systems? Maybe there is a reason to buy the less expensive core system after all - to avoid the hard disk drive!

A Microsoft spokeswoman said the company does not comment on pending litigation. She declined to say how many reports Microsoft had received and said that calls reporting the issue to the company represented a 'very, very small fraction' of units sold. The lawsuit, filed last Friday in federal court in Illinois, seeks unspecified damages and litigation-related expenses, as well as the replacement or recall of Xbox 360 game consoles.

'The debut of Xbox 360 marks one of the biggest consumer launches in Microsoft's history,' said Robbie Bach, president of the Entertainment and Devices Division at Microsoft and chief Xbox officer. 'With its sheer power, portfolio of graphically stunning games, rich online capabilities, and features for enjoying music, movies and photos, Xbox 360 delivers integrated digital gaming and entertainment experiences that simply can't be matched.'

BIOS, Dec 06, 05 | Print | Send | Comments (0) | Posted In Gaming