A general hardware failure can result if your xbox 360 three red lights found in the power button are lit up or are flashing. If you try to boot up your Xbox, it will still initialize up to the dashboard without any trouble. Once the game starts, you will only get to enjoy the game in a few seconds before the unit shuts itself. Check for a possible overheating problem. Try touching the sides of your Xbox if it has gone too hot. The CPU and GPU chips inside your unit may have been overheated and it shut down the system to avoid further damage. You can send it over to Microsoft for a check on the hardware, if you are still under warranty.
