Microsoft has announced that Xbox 360 software sales have passed the one million unit milestone, saying it has significantly outperformed its next-gen rivals, the Wii and PS3. Analysts say, however, that the new consoles could catch up in future, once they have been in the market for as long as the Xbox 360.
GFK Australia Account Director, Daniel Morse said, “Hitting the one million mark in a mere 14 months means Xbox 360 has reached the milestone faster than any previous console, and is currently outperforming other next generation consoles in terms of software sales.”
He added though that the popularity of Xbox 360 games has much to do with the fact that it has been on the market much longer than the Sony PS3 and the Nintendo Wii. “More people own Xbox 360s, so they have a bigger customer base, so they are more likely to buy games for the Xbox over the other consoles,” he said.
“Given that, they’ve also got a good selection of games that appeal to gamers, and are not afraid to spend their money. Of the three top selling titles that played major roles in the success of the platform, the top two “Gears of War” and “Saints Row” are Xbox exclusives, but the top third game “Call of Duty 2″ is multi-platform. Action games tend to be the most popular titles” he added.
When questioned on whether the PS3 and the Wii – the latter of which has enjoyed considerable success in terms of console sales since launch – might be able to compete with the Xbox 360 in terms of software sales in future, Morse said, “In time, once the Wii hits its second Christmas at the end of this year, I expect it to do very well.”
Microsoft said the one million milestone also marks the highest ever software attach ratio for the 360 at this point in the lifecycle. After a year in the market, the average 360 console owner has purchased over five 360 games – a greater number of games than that bought by users of any other consoles, the company claims.
There are expected to be over 300 Xbox 360 games available by the end of 2007. With the lineup set to include “Halo 3”, “Bioshock”, “Project Gotham Racing 4”, “Splinter Cell: Conviction”, “Mass Effect”, “Rock Band”, “Grand Theft Auto IV”, “Guitar Hero 3”, “Call of Duty 4”, “FIFA 08” and “Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga”.
See: www.xbox.com.au
