The Xbox One was the number one best selling console in the US in December (over the PS4 and Wii U) for a second consecutive month. According to Microsoft, its latest next-generation console also outperformed the Xbox 360 during the same respective period in its lifecycle.
In a statement Microsoft said:
“Weekly average sales during these months outpaced Xbox 360 by 50 percent at the same point in its lifecycle.”
Microsoft also pointed out that the “Xbox One sold more games throughout November and December in the U.S. than any other current-generation platform.”
Before the holidays Microsoft “temporarily” cut the price of the Xbox One by $50 to $349 – a move that was very successful and helped boost sales.
Given the overwhelming success driven by the price cut the Xbox One is going to return to its previous starting price of $350 on January 16.
According to NPD Group’s Liam Callahan:
“Bundles were a major driver of hardware sales this December compared to last with 71 percent of hardware unit sales stemming from Bundles including software, which compares to 32 percent of hardware sales last December.”
Sony’s PlayStation 4 outsold the Xbox One for the year. However, Microsoft has seen a huge surge in demand for its console over recent months.
The fact is that Microsoft launched the Xbox One at a higher price than its competitor and there weren’t that many exclusive titles for either console when they launched.
But with price cuts, as well as a number of exclusive titles already out and many more in the pipeline, such as Halo 5: Guardians, the Xbox One is gaining market share at a very rapid rate.
In an Xbox Wire news post, titled “Xbox One Closes a Record-Breaking Holiday and Looks Ahead to 2015”, Editor in Chief Will Tuttle said:
“We’ll also continue to improve the Xbox One experience through regular system updates and we’re continuing to listen to fan feedback to implement the changes fans want to see most.”
Phil Spencer, Head of Xbox, said:
“Since it launched last year, Xbox Feedback has been instrumental in helping us best determine what our fans want and expect from us, and it’s clear that the Xbox One wouldn’t be what it is today without their valued input. We’re incredibly proud of the Xbox One and are fully committed to ensuring it’s the best place to play console games in 2015 and beyond.”
Sony’s PS4 sold more units in 2014 as a whole
A Sony Computer Entertainment America spokesperson told GamesBeat:
“PlayStation 4 was the top-selling console in the U.S. and globally in 2014,” adding “And [it is] the fastest selling console in PlayStation history with 18.5 million sold through after just 14 months in the market. We are humbled by this success and want to thank gamers worldwide for helping us achieve holiday sales of more than 4.1 million across 123 countries and regions. We are looking forward to another momentous year in 2015 and bringing an epic line up of titles to PlayStation fans around the world.”
