Microsoft spent over one billion dollars extending warranties to fix the infamous Red Ring of Death hardware failure that plagued the Xbox 360 console during its early years on the market.

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Microsoft spent over one billion dollars extending warranties to fix the infamous Red Ring of Death hardware failure that plagued the Xbox 360 console during its early years on the market. The widespread defect was caused by the use of a brittle lead-free solder that would crack under the immense heat generated by the system's graphics chip, effectively bricking the console and flashing three ominous red lights on the power button. Gamers desperately resorted to wrapping their expensive electronics in thick towels and intentionally overheating them to temporarily melt the solder back into place. It is genuinely a miracle that millions of young adults did not accidentally burn their houses to the ground while trying to desperately resuscitate a dying piece of plastic just so they could play another round of Halo 3 matchmaking!