PS4 glitches force Sony to issue troubleshooting guide
Some users complain of 'blinking blue lights' after sales of one million units on day of launch
The hotly-anticipated PlayStation 4 will retail for £349. Photo: Reuters
By Daniel Johnson 3:29PM GMT 18 Nov 2013
Despite selling more than one million units on its first day in the US, Sony has been forced to publish a troubleshooting guide for users experiencing problems with the new PlayStation 4.
On Sony’s Playstation forum users have complained of a blinking blue light repeatedly flashing on their new consoles.
In a post on the forum, Sony said the problem could be caused by problems with the PS4’s power supply, hard drive or hardware or TV compatibility.
One suggested solution with power supply issues was to “touch the power button on the front of the PS4 for at least seven seconds (until the system beeps twice)”.
It has also advised customers to ensure the hard is “properly seated” in its bay.
One user by the name of Newender complained on the forum: “MY PS4 turns on, blinks blue, turns white and won’t connected to my TV.”
Another user, Juggalugalotus, added: “Mine just blinks blue and I don’t get any audio or video. Tried all four of my HDMI cables and checked all of the setting on the TV.
“Nothing. Basically we bought a $400 (£250) paperweight.”
In a statement, Sony responded that the problems were “within our expectations for a new production introduction” and that the “vast majority of PS4 feedback has been overwhelmingly positive”.
It said it believed these were “isolated incidents” but that it was “closely monitoring for additional reports”.
Aside from these issues, Sony has sold one million units of the new consol in the first 24 hours it was available in the US and Canada.
The console, which Sony is counting on to kick-start a revival of its consumer electronics business, went on sale on Friday.
Andrew House, the head of Sony Computer Entertainment, the unit of Sony that oversees PlayStation, said in a statement that "sales remain very strong in North America."
"We expect continued enthusiasm as we launch the PlayStation 4 in Europe and Latin America," House said.
Sony Corp had previously announced it had received more than 1 million advance orders for the console. Still, the initial sales figures are Sony's first salvo in a battle brewing with Microsoft Corp's Xbox One console, which goes on sale next week.
Sony is aiming to sell 5m PS4 units by the end of its fiscal year that ends on March 31. Baird analyst Colin Sebastian has said he expects 2.5m to 3m PS4 shipments in the fourth quarter in North America.
Both the PS4, priced at $399 in the United States, and the Xbox One, with a price tag of $499, offer improved graphics for realistic effects, processors that allow faster game play and a slew of exclusive video games.
The console will hit shelves for £349 in the UK on November 29.
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