An American man is suing Microsoft because he believes their new Xbox 360 videogames console is "defectively designed".

Robert Byers, from Chicago, says that the power supply and central processor of the Xbox 360 are prone to overheating. In a proposed class action lawsuit, he claims that the company rushed the product to market in an attempt to unseat its biggest rival, Sony's PlayStation.

Microsoft has refused to comment pending litigation, but customer complaints about overheating problems were quick to arise after the console was launched in the US two weeks ago.

The machine, which was released last weekend in Britain, is in short supply as retailers struggle to meet demand ahead of Christmas.