GDC08: Xbox 360 hardware sales reach 18 million

by Dustin Burg { Feb 22nd 2008 at 10:30AM }

In an interview with Eurogamer, Microsoft's John Schappert sat down to discuss all things Xbox 360, mentioned that (to date) Xbox 360 hardware sales have eclipsed the 18 million unit mark. Not bad, but not amazing. January was the last time we were officially updated on units sold, when Microsoft announced that 360 worldwide sales hit the 17.7 million console mark. So, 18 million units by the end of February seems to fall in line with the 360's sales trend. Microsoft will have to be on their game in 2008, because warding off the RROD, dealing with the Wii's increasing North American sales and defending against a tricky PS3 who's gunning for second place will take some effort. Then again, who's really worried? We have GoW2, Fable 2, Halo Wars and a stellar XBLA lineup to ignite sales.

Tags: gdc08, gdc08fanboy, microsoft, ps3, wii, xbox-360

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Michael Paul @ Feb 22nd 2008 10:42AM

When Blu-Ray capability propels the PS3 past the 360, will anything we say about 'game quality' cut back on the smack talk we'll get?

After all, if a crappy movie comes in at #1, it's still #1...

Triforceowner @ Feb 22nd 2008 10:57AM

I don't think anyone would bring up movie sales in a disagreement about consoles when one does not have a format attached to it.

IncredibleBulk92 @ Feb 22nd 2008 11:14AM

@ Triforceowner

Um yea... you'd think... PS3 fanboy has been reporting on the difference between HD DVD sales and Blu Ray Sales for months.
For the record it hasn't been looking good for HDDVD for quite a while

Michael Paul @ Feb 22nd 2008 11:34AM

Next time when I make a reference to the #1 movie, I'll try to word it better. This wasn't about movies played on the PS3 or the 360, it was about how crap can still be #1...

Triforceowner @ Feb 22nd 2008 12:38PM

@IncredibleBulk92

Yeah, but that was when the 360 supported the HD-DVD drive. Once that thing gets dumped who would care what Blu-rays sell in the context of a console war. Doesn't matter, though, because the OP has restated his comment.

xFenixKnightx @ Feb 22nd 2008 10:42AM

Congrats!!! =) Im sure GoW2 alone will sell plenty of new 360's this year.

mattclarkie @ Feb 22nd 2008 10:48AM

The PS3 will see a huge boost, just as the PS2 did, as a good alternative to a stand-alone media player. Although it is no longer the cheapest player, it has more added value, and compares favourably to the 360 for a family wanting more than just a games machine.

But who cares, 360 is for the HardCore gamers, no under 15s allowed.

JakubK666 @ Feb 22nd 2008 11:26AM

WHAT-EVA! I PLAY WHAT I WANT!

I'm the dying breed of polite 13's you can have a decent game with(I'm not a squeaker too) and I agree that 99% of my kind should be shot.

mattclarkie @ Feb 22nd 2008 10:50AM

surely anyone wanting GoW2 will already have a 360 and have played GoW, unless those 5 people who purchased the PC version want it. Unlike Halo3 which was the first in the series on the platform, GoW as a franchise must have sold all the consoles it is going to buy now.

Tony @ Feb 22nd 2008 10:53AM

It's amazing to me that when the 360 was pulling off the NPD numbers the PS3 is doing now it was considered "soft" and "unimpressive" and a "bad sign". And now that the PS3 is pulling these off it's "impressive" and an "upset" to these analysts.

It will be interesting to see how and if the supposed 360 shortage is affecting this and, really, how many games the PS3 starts selling in the US as time goes on. Considering it beat out the 360 last month, you'd think there'd be more than one PS3 game in the Top 10 and even that was Call of Duty 4.

Adam @ Feb 22nd 2008 11:34AM

What makes me laugh is the fact that.Even tho the red ring was hugely known by the public they still bought 360's.Micorosoft can say that.If the ps3 hardware has failures you think its gonna sell as well?

Sgt Barone @ Feb 22nd 2008 11:43AM

PS3 will do good, 360 will do better. PS3 Fanboy thinks that Blu-Ray will win them the console war. The average person could care about freakin BD. They want games, which is why that only in January and February the Ps3 will outsell the 360. When the stock comes back, the 360 will roll.

JaseH @ Feb 25th 2008 12:01AM

Nope.

We don't think "Bluray" will give us the crown. We dont even care. We just feel as if it's a major bonus to our superior line up games this year.

Did you hear that?

Its not Bluray... it's the games ;]

Now run along and play GoW2, Fable 2, Halo Wars...

LOL.

Matt @ Feb 22nd 2008 11:57AM

The PS3 sold more than 360 last month because there was an end in sight to the Blu-Ray war. I expect to PS3 to sell more this month because the format war officially ended.

However, the important determining factor will be the software sales and the attach rate of the PS3. I'm confident that many casual gamers are buying the PS3 for Blu Ray and not primarily for gaming. I have a friend who bought a PS3 for Blu Ray. The only game he owns is Rock Band that he plays with friends when they come over. He's not going to buy COD4, DMC, etc. How many more PS3's will be sold to guys like this? Just take a look over at the EngadgetHD poll. Now that the war is over people were asked what blu-ray player they were picking up. Out of 9,120 people that were going to pick one up, nearly 7,000 picked the PS3!

http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/20/poll-what-blu-ray-player-will-you-be-picking-up/

It's all about software and attachment rate and 360 owners have shown that we are hardcore gamers and we buy a lot of games. PS3 needs to step up and maybe get at least a couple more games in that monthly top 10.

Larry @ Feb 22nd 2008 12:20PM

The PS3 sold about 30,000 more than it did in Jan of 07. Blu-Ray was not a factor unless you cound 30,000 as the Blu-Ray effect.

Matt @ Feb 22nd 2008 12:29PM

Larry,

I would expect the console to gain in sales and I agree that 30,000 units more weren't all Blu-Ray, but it was a factor. I don't think there's an "analyst" that would disagree.

ogvor @ Feb 22nd 2008 12:10PM

The console war will be very intersting to watch this year. I was sure the PS3 would do better than the 360 this year becuase it has some of it's biggest releases this year (MGS4, Gran Turismo, maybe FFXIII, Little Big Planet, Home), but with the addition of GoW2 and the Xbox Live Community Arcade (in addition to various other big, but not huge titles), the 360 could put up a hell of a fight.

Greg H @ Feb 22nd 2008 1:08PM

So if the 16% failure rate is to be believed (I'm thinking it's way more) than that's 2,880,000 RRODs to celebrate, too!

Greg @ Feb 22nd 2008 1:10PM

Oops '...then that's ... '

Trekster_Gamer @ Feb 22nd 2008 2:17PM

PS3 girls (that's all of you BTW) the next gen war is now over 3 years old and given your ps3 came out a year late and here it is a year later and it has sold no where near the amount that the 360 has sold. By the time you come close to the 360 in sales it will be time for yet another console. As far as blu-ray goes, who the frack cares, if it does start to matter then MS will make a better one that is cheaper, or you will be able to pick up one cheap anywhere just like it was with DVD.

JaseH @ Feb 25th 2008 12:06AM

What would you rather choose?

The PS3 with an already great line up of games, steller Bluray player & development support.

Or a new, higher cost, gameless, lacking development support console?

I think if MS resort to dumping a new console, it would FAIL by the time PS3 has already caught onto speed.

And a bad idea, considering the 360 is yet to turn a profit for MS... with the 1 billion dollar bill footed for the RRoD fix for most of it's consoles....