Sony: Launch PS4s have 0.4% fail rate, within expectations

As few as 0.4 per cent of launch PS4 consoles are experiencing technical problems, Sony has stated.

It was revealed yesterday that a handful of consumers – as well as websites IGN and Kotaku – had experienced technical problems with their launch PS4s.

Sony, however, has claimed that failure rates are well within expectations.

"A handful of people have reported issues with their PlayStation 4 systems,” a statement supplied to IGN said. This is within our expectations for a new product introduction, and the vast majority of PS4 feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.

We are closely monitoring for additional reports, but we think these are isolated incidents and are on track for a great launch.

There have been several problems reported, which leads us to believe there isn’t a singular problem that could impact a broader percentage of systems. The number of affected systems represents less than 0.4 per cent of shipped units to date, which is within our expectations for a new product introduction."

Hardware failure stories are undoubtedly a modern part of any console of tech launch. With millions of consumers rushing to buy devices at the same time it is inevitable that someone, somewhere will receive a faulty product.

And with the internet being the internet, just a handful of disgruntled customers can lead to an awful lot of noise.

But with the trials and tribulations of the Xbox 360’s Red Ring of Death still alive and well in the minds of many, hardware failure remains a very sensitive issue. Only once both launches are behind us will we have a true picture of whether there are problems present that are beyond the norm.