Microsoft: Xbox 360 has History on its Side

Microsoft has said that 10 million Xbox 360s have now been sold in the US - making it the current generation console with the largest installed base in North America and the first to hit that milestone.

Microsoft has also said that Xbox Live membership climbed to over 12 million this month.

In the announcement, Microsoft also claims, "The US install base contributes to global sales of over 19 million, more than any other current-generation console.”

Erm... does anyone else remember that console called the Wii? The one that had seen 24.45 million units shipped as of the end of March? If Microsoft had said that more 360s had been sold than any other next-generation console we might have let it get away with it.

That the Wii can be accurately described as a current-generation console and is thus the current-generation leader in terms of global installed base, however, seems difficult to argue against.

The press release also fails to note that the 360 had nearly a year's lead on the Wii and PS3 in the US. Reuters tells us that the Wii and PS3 sat at sales figures of 8.8 million and 4.5 million respectively in the US as of the end of March according to NPD figures. NPD is set to report on April shortly.

Don Mattrick, senior VP of the Interactive Entertainment Business in the Entertainment and Devices Division at Microsoft (phew!) was bullish about the whole thing, saying, "This year will be the largest in the history of the video game industry, with Xbox 360 leading the charge in the US and abroad.

History has shown us that the first company to reach 10 million in console sales wins the generation battle. We are uniquely positioned to set a new benchmark for the industry."

Aside from invoking 'history', notice the use of 'in the US and abroad' to describe the world, we've always thought it was "Yorkshire and not Yorkshire" though.

Microsoft also drafted in IDC analyst, Billy Pidgeon for a spot of comment in the announcement. "Reaching an installed base of 10 million consoles in the US is a significant achievement and an essential milestone on the road to market leadership", he said.

"Perhaps more important is the Xbox 360 worldwide online base — 12 million Xbox LIVE gamers is the largest community in the connected console games sector, which represents the greatest growth opportunity in the console market and where Microsoft has been the leader for two generations."

The online stats - with regard to consoles - can't be argued with. It is also impressive given the fact that, unlike the PlayStation Network, users are charged for LIVE subscriptions. Sony's ongoing delays to its Home online service, and the Wiis notably weak online presence (there is only so much you can do with a Mii, a vote and the weather) both indicate that Microsoft's Xbox LIVE will continue in strength. That strength is also supported by actual cash spent by gamers to continue subscribing.

The triumphant/triumphalist news also includes the following, "Xbox 360 leads with the industry’s highest software attach rate, more than any other console this generation, and is home to the best-selling games.

"With the launch of Grand Theft Auto IV in April, Xbox 360 is now the home to more than 16 platinum titles that have sold through 1 million units or more, including hits such as Halo 3, Madden NFL 07 and Madden NFL 08, Gears of War, Guitar Hero II and Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock and Call of Duty 2, Call of Duty 3 and Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare giving Xbox 360 two times more platinum-selling titles than the Wii and a 16:2 lead over the PlayStation 3 in game titles topping one million in sales."

Let's just look at those again in the light of snowjobs and the phrase, "is home" rather than "is a home"...

GTA IV - also on PlayStation 3.
Halo 3 - sure, that's pure exclusive Xbox 360.
Madden NFL 08 - Xbox 360, Xbox, Wii, Playstation 3, Playstation 2, Nintendo DS, PSP and... PC.
Gears of War - sure, another pure Xbox 360 exclusive.
Guitar Hero II & III - multi-platform again.
Call of Duty 2,3 and 4 - and multi-platform again.

The release continues thusly, "Games not only sell better on the Xbox 360, they play better, too: Xbox 360 has 91 titles with a Metacritic review score of 80 or higher, compared with just 22 titles for Wii and 50 titles for PlayStation 3."

Sure, absolutely. No argument on the old Metacritic scores. Just one more snowjob related thought though... we see Metacritic used as an independent third party, which is good. However, try as we might, we can't see any independent third party used to support the sales or attach rate figures. Now, we're not saying that these are not true - nor that the Xbox 360 isn't doing a storming job of selling itself and selling games - but in the new spirit of openness and transparency, quoting your sources would be playing the game.

^{Sources:
Microsoft
Reuters
Forbes}