The dreaded red ring

In the land down under, retailers are saying Microsoft is coming to terms with a failure rate of around 30 percent during the initial launch of its Xbox 360 console, reports Smarthouse News. Buyers are having to deal with poor service and total failure of their new console, which launched in Aussieland in March of '06 after a brief delay.
Much like in the US, gamers are getting the now-infamous red ring of death, which then grounds the console indefinitely. But when the Xbox 360 is shipped back for repair, buyers get a refurbished system in return.

This is against Australian trade laws, which say gamers are entitled to have their original console repaired or returned, or a new console or a refund if their hardware breaks down. However, Microsoft is instead sending used consoles with different serial numbers.

Though retailers say the Xbox 360 failure rate is cooling since its initial launch, it may be a sign that the 360 was rolled out a little too early to get a jump on competition.