Microsoft has sold 18m units of its Xbox 360 console worldwide, compared to sales of 10.5 million for the PS3.
Although it should be noted that the PS3 has been around for a year less than the 360 and is showing signs of catching up faster than expected.
The figures came from John Schappert, Microsoft’s corporate vice president of LIVE software and services, speaking at last week’s Games Developer Conference. Here’s what he had to say to Eurogamer about Xbox 360 sales, Xbox LIVE and the possibility of a Blu-ray add-on drive, now that HD DVD is dead.
Xbox 360 sales
“I think that we've sold 18 million, the last time I've checked. 18 million hardware units worldwide.”
Xbox LIVE
"We don't have [a projection for 2008] but here's what I can tell you: we have 10 million LIVE members, which we hit six months ahead of schedule. We have 4 million added in the last six months. The majority are Gold [members]".
Xbox 360 Blu-ray Drive
"What I'll say is we have nothing to comment there. We have no plans to announce or anything like that right now. But I'd also urge you to look at the attach rate for the HD-DVD drive. It was a 3 per cent attach rate….it was a low attach rate. It wasn't one of the high-selling accessories if you will. So again, when you're saying 'the obvious thing', you also have to take into account how did the other accessory do when you look at the future."
So, no Blu-ray add-on drive for the Xbox, eh? Considering Microsoft needs to introduce a new Xbox 360 in the coming year, don’t be surprised to see a Blu-ray drive on the inside.-Martin Lynch
xbox HD DVD blu-ray microsoft
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Editor and Contributor | Martin Lynch
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I think Martin has hit the nail on the head there. Microsoft is going to have to put a blu-ray drive in the new xbox and make it across the board.
Putting them in just the elite version of the xbox isn't going to win microsoft any favours and if they don't do something like this they're going to fall prey to Sony's PS3 setup.
While there was the hd vs blu-ray battle going on, it was uncertain waters for both the xbox's hd drive and the ps3's blu-ray and the extra price couldn't be justified.
Now that we know blu-ray is the way forward, the ps3 will look a lot cheaper for many users wanting the next gen movie playback.