While the PlayStation 4 launch appears to be going off without any major hiccups, there is a small segment of the population that's received their consoles only to find the device is broken right out of the box.
According to IGN, several customers have reported receiving their PlayStation 4 on release day, only to discover the console is unable to function properly. While these reports began with some of the PlayStation 4s that were given away early, some of the consoles released to the general public are also having problems. It appears that there is a problem with the HDMI output for the console, and even IGN's console experienced some problems after they downloaded the day one patch.
Despite the release snafu, Sony has announced it will replace all broken PlayStation 4s. In addition, Sony Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida took to Twitter to assure fans that Sony is looking into the problem:
"Be assured we are investigating reported PS4 issues. The number is very small compared to shipped, we believe they are isolated incidents."
In addition, Sony sent IGN an official statement in which they claimed that the number of defective machines was within the expectations of the company and the reports are of isolated incidents rather than a major flaw:
"A handful of people have reported issues with their PlayStation 4 systems. This is within our expectations for a new product introduction, and the vast majority of PS4 feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. We are closely monitoring for additional reports, but we think these are isolated incidents and are on track for a great launch...There have been several problems reported, which leads us to believe there isn't a singular problem that could impact a broader percentage of systems. The number of affected systems represents less than .4% of shipped units to date, which is within our expectations for a new product introduction."
While this news may seem troubling, every major release of a console or video game usually has some stories of a small percentage of users experiencing difficulties with the tech. Considering that last generation had to deal with the Xbox 360's red ring of death and this year brought gamers the horrible launch problems of SimCity and Grand Theft Auto Online, these isolated incidents should not be a cause for concern.