0.5 per cent "failure?"

According to Ars Technica, the number of PlayStation 3 consoles that have experienced failure is well within the normal failure rates in the consumer electronics industry.[153]

However, in September 2009, the BBC television programme Watchdog aired a report investigating the purported "yellow light of death" issue, which affects around 0.5%[154] of PlayStation 3s. The yellow light indicates a non-specific hardware failure which renders the system unusable.

The program also noted that the PlayStation 3 has a one-year warranty (typical of most consumer electronics products). Out-of-warranty PlayStation 3 owners can pay Sony a set fee for a refurbished console.[155]

In response to the tone of the program, senior vice president and managing director, Ray Maguire issued a document criticizing the program and citing potential attempt to harm Sony and PlayStation brand and stating that the three PlayStation 3 systems the program tested is not evidence of a manufacturing defect.[156][157]

Editor's note: The yellow light of death is most likely a pro-Microsoft, anti-Sony "story' thought up by douchebags who work for Gamespot, Kotaku etc.