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.
