Instead of celebrating after delivering a million units just 24 hours after the launch of PlayStation 4 (PS4) in North America, Sony had its hands full taking care of customer complaints about defective hardware. While the manufacturer released a troubleshooting guide over the weekend to help customers and committed to replace non-functioning gaming consoles, it has reiterated that only a small percentage of sold PS4 units are defective.
A company spokesman assured the public that the rumors about widespread problems affecting Sony's newest gaming console are false. He said the company continues to address minor issues such as units not turning on or connecting to the television properly.
"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," a Sony representative said.
"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," the spokesperson added.
The statement from Sony also addressed rumors spreading that replacement of defective units may take at least six weeks.
"Those rumors are false. Our customer support team is exchanging units with new replacements immediately and with expedited shipping," the company representative relayed.
After its launch, the PlayStation forums have been flooded with complaints about the PS4 problems. Customers have also been giving the game console negative reviews on online stores such as Amazon.
"I been waiting for this for months now since it came up for pre-order. My console lasted all of a day and a half before basically becoming a paperweight," said a certain Edgar Green on Amazon.
"I tried turning it back on and all I got was the pulsing blue light of death, It would never turn completely on again," he added. Green was referring to the blue strip of light dubbed by affected gamers as the "Blue Light of Death." The strip of light indicates that the unit is powered on but defective units will only have the light on without the game console booting.
The PS4 problems haunts Sony as it prepares for the coming of its biggest rival - the Xbox One - set for a Friday midnight launch.
