http://www.gamer.tm/news.asp?id=1700

There seems to be something wrong with the PS3s there. Sounds strange.

Edit: To avoid further confusion:the new 40g model that uses a new manufacture process

Sony appears to be having problems with failure rates on the new 40GB PlayStation 3 model, according to retail sources.

Speaking to Dutch site Gamed.nl, Belgian games retailer Games Mania has said that while the new 40GB model is selling well, some 40 per cent of the new consoles sold so far have been returned due to hardware defects that result in the console being unable to read Blu-Ray and other discs.

No actual numbers have been made available so far, so it’s unclear whether this is simply a case of a single retailer receiving a batch of dud consoles or whether this is a more sizeable problem along the lines of the infamous 360 three red lights issue.

Given the lack of similar reports from around the globe, we’d certainly hold off from declaring the 40GB as unreliable just yet. However, it is worth pointing out that the 40GB model has been made using revised manufacturing techniques designed to lower costs, and features fewer cooling vents than previous models.

It's for the new 40 GB model.

yup

We love barbecues:

When people saw this in Belgium:

PS3 only for 399 Euro



They thought 'hey that is a cheap stylish barbecue'.

There you have your 40% failure rates (I don't have to tell you that putting a steak in the Blu Ray drive ended with a dead PS3)

OMG THE PS3 IS DOOMED!!!!!111!1!1

anyways, the failure rate at that store may be high, but until multiple stores report high return rates than this is nothing more than a bad batch of consoles. Since they just moved to a new manufacturing process, it could be the results of improper testing of the setup.

I may not be a fan of Sony, but I know they have good enough quality that it won't be a repeat of what Microsoft did.

If this story has any validity at all its most likely just a isolated incident. Although its sold less than its competitors, the PS3 has sold more than enough consoles to determine whether are not it's hardware is reliable. It is the one thing Sony got right this time around. Which strange since it was their only real problem when it came to the PS1 and PS2.

The news is about the 40 GB model only. This could be just a bad batch though.

Belgium sales are probably less than 5% of all others sales.

Would be the same if they say that 40% of the X360's sold in California have a RROD in a year. (Just an example).

It is strange that I didn't read this on Belgian Playstation forums so far nobody had a problem =/.

I hope it's just a bad batch.

One of the PS3's strong points compared to the 360 has been system reliability after all.

Only in Belgium? Right...