Just the other day I was listening to my brother rant about the death of his three week old Xbox 360.

"How can they only have a 90 day warranty? They must realize their machines don't last."

Then he started contemplating buying the extended warranty, then he decided if his second crapped out on him he'd just return it and buy another system.

This should cheer him up: Microsoft today announced that they are extending their warranty for the console to one year and they will reimburse anyone who paid out-of-warrant repair charges within their first year of ownership.

Now that's how you do things.

Hit the jump for the Word-fucked-up version of the press release. Brian Crecente

For Release 6 a.m. PST

Dec. 22, 2006

Microsoft Extends Xbox 360 Warranty to One Year

Shoppers can buy with added confidence this holiday season as Microsoft expands its warranty for Xbox 360 from 90 days to one year.

REDMOND, Wash. Dec. 22, 2006 In a move to benefit customers, Microsoft Corp. announced today that it will change the Xbox 360 warranty from 90 days to one year from the date of purchase in the United States and Canada. Microsoft extended the warranty in these territories to be consistent with the standard one-year Xbox 360 warranty that is available throughout most of the world. The news is reason to celebrate this holiday season; it applies to both would-be purchasers and those who already have Xbox 360 and are still within their first year of ownership.

Effective today, the one-year warranty is now the standard for the Xbox 360 console. Customers who experience hardware issues with their Xbox 360 within one year of purchase can have their consoles repaired at no cost. Moreover, the new warranty policy is retroactive, so consumers who may have already paid for an out-of-warranty Xbox 360 repair within one year of purchase will be eligible for reimbursement of their console repair charges.

Customer satisfaction is a central focus and priority for the Xbox 360 system, said Jeff Bell, corporate vice president of Global Marketing for the Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft. In addition to jaw-dropping features such as high-definition graphics, an amazing catalog of over 160 games, and social online and entertainment experiences on Xbox Live., the Xbox 360 system now offers this extended warranty upgrade. It is truly the industry s most compelling home entertainment offering.

Customers who have already paid out-of-warranty repair charges within their first year of ownership can expect reimbursement checks for the amount of their console repair in approximately 10 weeks. Reimbursements will be automatically distributed, so customers need not contact Microsoft. Customers who have questions regarding this policy change or experience any hardware issues should visit http://www.xbox.com/en-US/support/contact where they can check their warranty status, find troubleshooting information for common issues and find Xbox support contact information.

About Xbox 360

Xbox 360 is the most powerful video game and entertainment system, delivering the best games, the next generation of the premier Xbox Live online gaming network and unique digital entertainment experiences that revolve around gamers. Xbox 360 is expected to have a catalog of 160 high-definition games by the end of 2006 and to be available in nearly 40 countries by the end of 2007. More information can be found online at http://www.xbox.com/xbox360.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq MSFT ) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.