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Sony says PS4 failures have varying causes, affect less than 1 percent of units

The PlayStation 4 launch last week was quickly followed by mounting reports of defective units, including consoles that wouldn't display video. Had Sony shipped the console with a common flaw? No, an SCEA spokeperson tells us in a statement (found after the break). The company believes there "isn't a singular problem" at fault that would affect a large number of systems. The failure rate is also relatively small, according to the representative. With less than 1 percent of shipped systems affected by these problems (up from 0.4 percent in a previous claim), the number of broken systems is reportedly within the "expected range" for a product launch. While we're certainly used to new devices that ship with a few bugs in tow, that figure still leaves a lot of unhappy gamers -- one percent of the million-plus PS4 buyers would still equate to 10,000 people. Sony says it's working to get these systems replaced; let's hope it moves quickly.

There have been several issues reported, which leads us to believe there isn't a singular problem that could impact a broader percentage of PS4 units. We also understand that some units were reportedly damaged during shipping. The number of affected PS4 systems is less than 1%, which represents a very small percentage of total units shipped to date and is within the expected range for a new product introduction. We understand the frustration of consumers that have had a problem and are working with them and our retail partners to help troubleshoot issues and ensure affected units are exchanged.