Things just got worse for Microsoft, with respect to its newly released Xbox 360 console...

One angry Chicago consumer - Robert Byers, has filed a class-action lawsuit in an Illinois federal court, alleging that Microsoft is peddling a \"defectively designed\" product.


The lawsuit claims, that in Microsoft\'s bid to gain share in the approximately $25 billion global video game market, the company was so intent on releasing the Xbox 360 before competing Gen-Next machines from Sony and Nintendo, that it actually sold a \"defectively designed\" product.

Byers who purchased the Xbox 360, said the console has a flaw which causes the hardware to overheat and freeze in the middle of game play.

Interestingly some other gamers who bought the 360 have also complained about similar problems on Internet sites, since the console went on sale November 22 in USA.

Although Microsoft has refrained from commenting on the lawsuit, Tara Mulcahy, a Microsoft spokes-person, reportedly said, that there was no systemic issue with Xbox 360.

With the heated on-going battle over Gen-Next video game consoles, Xbox fans can only hope that this development does not succeed in tipping the scales against Microsoft and its pet console.



^..lLO0L0OL1!!

Anyone else want a Xbox that people sue Microsoft for, like this?:O


More on this, LOL.

[quote]A Chicago man has filed a class action complaint against Microsoft that claims the company knowingly distributed defective Xbox game consoles in its hurry to beat rivals to market with a next-generation gaming product.

A complaint filed in a U.S. District Court in Illinois by Robert E. Byers alleges that Microsoft designed a power supply and a CPU into the Xbox 360 that run too hot and overheat, causing the console to freeze or lock up when being operated. The design defect is “material” because “it renders the Xbox 360 game consoles completely inoperable,” according to court documents filed Friday, Dec. 2.

According to Byers’ complaint, Microsoft made the Xbox 360 available to consumers before it was properly designed in order to release the console before companies such as Sony and Nintendo made competitive products available. Therefore, he said, the company has profited from deceiving consumers into buying a faulty product.

“In its rush to beat its competitors by being the first to introduce the next generation of game consoles into the market in order to increase Microsoft’s market share, Microsoft was intent on launching its Xbox 360 Game Consoles ahead of competitors and in time to capitalize on the 2005 holiday shopping season—even if doing so meant selling Plaintiff and Class members defectively designed Xbox 360 game consoles,” Byers said in his complaint.

Byers is seeking unspecified damages for himself and others who want to participate in the suit.

Sean Marshall, a spokesman for Microsoft through the company’s public relations firm Edelman, said in an e-mail interview that the company does not comment on pending legal matters but is looking into the complaint. He acknowledged that Microsoft has received “a few isolated reports of consoles not working as expected.” Still, the vast majority of Xbox owners are having an “outstanding experience” with their new systems, Marshall said.

Complaints reported on blogs and user groups seem to suggest that problems with the Xbox 360 may be more widespread than Microsoft will admit. On Nov. 22, the day the Xbox 360 was released, a slew of users reported complaints in posts to the Xbox-Scene Online Web Community and to other blogs and user groups.

Some Xbox 360 users said the console would crash when loading games or after users played a game for only a short period of time, while others claimed that the consoles would freeze up and put scratches in game CDs. Still others reported scrambled screens and other signs that indicated the console was not working properly.

Another Xbox enthusiast site, Teamxbox.com, began polling users to see if their machines were working properly the day the Xbox 360 shipped. Nearly 15 percent of the 915 who voted in a poll reported that their consoles were defective.

Xbox customers having problems with their consoles can call 1-800-4-MY-XBOX for help, Marshall said. Microsoft is offering to repair defective consoles as quickly as possible and will pay for overnight shipping both from consumers and back to them once consoles have been repaired, he said.

“[Microsoft is] committed to making sure the small number of consumers having any problems is taken care of right away,” Marshall said.
[/quote]


[Edited on 12/7/05 by Sage]

[Edited on 12/7/05 by Sage]

Makes you wonder though, Wind. Makes you wonder how they\'ll cover this one up, like they did the Xbox\'s cord catching fire incident because they stripped the damned wires all wrong.:D

Exactly. When it comes to hardware, never buy until around 2 months to nearly a year. Not only that you might get it cheaper, any complaints and such will show up.


I wonder if the 360 has a fan installed? Doesn\'t all game systems have one now-a-days? (I know my PS2 has one, I never heard my Cube so I\'m not sure.) I know a fan does not cool things but if the system is well circulated, it should last a few hours before overheating. I don\'t understand why a system will overheat in under 30 minutes...

But that does, no doubt, point out that Microsoft only care(d/s) about deadlines. Overheating and game crashes are huge problems that shouldn\'t be overlooked, but were.

Wow... Maybe that is the problem. How could they make a mistake like that? They are a computer company for Mega\'s sake! B/ Totally irresponsible...



So it\'s either the fans are installed incorrectly or they are incorrectly wired. Both are unacceptable...

Thanks for telling me about the Cube. I knew they had to have a fan inside...




*imagines a 360 with a wood design skin catch on fire because of overheating* ^^;;;

I\'m amazed too that there hasn\'t been any cases yet about things catching on fire or exploding. ^^;