I got my PS4 from Amazon on Saturday afternoon, and it was dead by Sunday evening.

I was finishing up a session with my digital copy of Infamous when tragedy occurred. I held the PS button on the controller to bring up the menu and close out of the game when, all of a sudden, a loud clicking noise came from within the bowels of the console. The horrible noise lasted mere seconds before an eerie silence took its place. The console had powered itself down.

Before I could process what had happened, I rushed to my PS4's side to see if it was all right. I ran my finger down the center of its crease, hoping for that familiar beep. I held my breath until... The sound caused my head to whip toward the television screen in anticipation of the PlayStation logo. It never came.

A blue light filled the dark room. It was moving up and down the spine of the PS4. The undulating motions made me feel almost sea sick. I held the power button and shut my eyes, opening them only after I was sure the sickening light had gone. Again and again I tried to coax the console back to life. Each time the familiar beep bringing me a moment of hope before the pulsating blue light replaced it with dread. My finger hovered over the power button one last time before falling still. I slowly curled it back into a fist and conceded that all hope was lost for the infant console.

It felt wrong requesting a replacement so soon after my PS4 passed away. It wasn't even cold, yet. Repacking it for return felt like some sort of terrible anti-Christmas. It was difficult to do but, carefully putting it back in its box exactly as it had been the day before provided a small amount of closure.

As I wait for the new PS4 to arrive, all I can do is hope that this was just a fluke, and I won't have to relive that horrible nightmare ever again.