Xbox 360 Sales Near 12 Million
It seems the Wii hasn't quite overtaken the Xbox 360 yet.
There was a report recently that suggested the Wii had overtaken the Xbox 360 to become the top-seller of the new generation of hardware. But new numbers from Microsoft paint a different picture.
Working from numbers supplied by research firms in Europe, Japan and North America, the Financial Times said earlier this month that the Xbox 360 had sold 8.9 million units worldwide - less than the 9 million sold by the Wii.
Microsoft's own figures, however, put the Xbox 360 sales closer to 12 million.
In a note sent to the media and reprinted by Next Generation, Microsoft said it had sold 11.6 million Xbox 360s in 37 countries. The company also said that the average Xbox 360 owner owns more than 6 games (including Xbox Live Arcade games).
Online pick-up is still rising. There are more than 7 million Live members now and Microsoft is expecting to hit 10 million by June.
Microsoft has not made clear how the hardware problems that have hit the Xbox 360 have affected the reported sales figures. The company has refused to give out failure rate for the console, but it did admit that it was having hardware problems, extending the machine's warranty to three years in the process.
Alex Wollenschlaeger
Editor, Kikizo
Satoru Iwata Video Interview - the late Nintendo president spoke with Kikizo in 2004 as 'Nintendo Revolution' loomed.
Kaz Hirai Video Interview - the first of Kikizo's interviews with the man who went on to become global head of Sony.
Ed Fries Video Interview - one of Xbox's founders discusses an epic journey from Excel to Xbox.
Yu Suzuki, the Kikizo Interview - we spend time with one of gaming's most revered creators.
Tetris - The Making of an Icon: Alexey Pajitnov and Henk Rogers reveal the fascinating story behind Tetris
Rare founders, Chris and Tim Stamper - their only interview? Genuinely 'rare' sit down with founders of the legendary studio.
The History of First-Person Shooters - a retrospective, from Maze War to Modern Warfare