Analyst: Xbox One global sales at 41 million; digital sale ratio far higher on Xbox One than on other platforms

[Andri]

Something to note about 360 vs One performance is also where they lost their users.
X360 topped 50m in the US alone, with 26m in europe , 1.7m in Japan and 9m in ROTW.
X1 is currently around 25m in US, meaning they "lost" around half their US audience, and that is their strongest territory.
Then there are 16m left for europe, Japan and ROTW.
We know they lost 1.6m in japan, so Europe and ROTW, which totaled 35m for 360 are even less than half on X1 at 14.4m.

It should be 10-11m. Switch was on 22.86m in September. Their holiday sales figures should have them at just over 30m.

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According to what people here have said the Holiday Quarter should have been 10m or a little bit more, which puts it at 33m ?

Official numbers come next week, so then we will know for sure.

 

[Deleted member 10737]

honestly, this is a much better result than what reading a forum like here would lead you to believe. it's not a huge failure like some people think, and with this kind of result having a big comeback is more than possible. i'm rooting for xbox :)

 

[Deleted member 249]

sheesh, I had thought it was around 50m. It's not even going to touch 3ds at this rate.
the eff happened.

The digital news, and effect of gamepass is great tho

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Yeah, damn, never realized that

 

[Instro]

Assuming we are comparing apples to apples on the digital share thing, I could see the following being factors:

-More trust and engagement in MS digital services leads to more interest in digital purchases
-The PS4 being the more popular console with a wider audience means that more games are bought as gifts, which is invariably a retail purchase.
-The PS4 has more of an audience for Japanese games and niche genres that are more likely to buy physical over digital.
-No data to back this one up, but I get the impression that first party and single player titles tend to skew a bit more towards physical compared to 3rd party and/or multiplayer titles. Obviously the PS4 has more games that fall in the first party and/or single player buckets. Would love to see data on that though.
-Not that it needs to be said, but Nintendo having a lower digital share is obvious.

 

[Cess007]

Are you claiming to have any inside knowledge or something?!

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I think he's making a joke about the XBO being around 35m for years now.

Zhuge told us the Xbox was at 36 million this time last year. Not sure where that 45m number came from.

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Then I was wrong and assumed even worse. Anyway, it's good to (it seems) finally have some numbers.

 

[Deleted member 43]

So by knowing the software sales ratio are always leaning towards PS4, do third parties care that much considering Xbox is pulling in a lot of digital sales?

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Of course, PS4 still generates more revenue.

 

[Deleted member 9584]

Of course, PS4 still generates more revenue.

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What I mean is, considering digital is very high on Xbox, it's still easily seen as a viable platform, correct?

 

[Deleted member 249]

Just to clarify, the first part of the statement in the OP is talking about US sales data.

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Thanks, I added this to the OP

 

[-girgosz-]

Okay sales. Hopefully they will do a bit better next-gen. The digital ratio is not surprising at all.

9 reasons for higher digital ratio from the top of my head (I'm sure some of these were mentioned already):
-BC: Huge number of 360 games avaible digitally
-Gamepass: This thing is dirt cheap for newcomers and constantly on sale immediately integrating the consumer to the digital infrastructure. And you even get discounts for digital GP games.
-EA Access: Really cheap too and also gives you discounts for buying digital games.
-Bundles: Bundling Gamepass, EA Access, and heavy bundling of digital games.
-Play anywhere: Get 2 copies for the price of 1 if you buy digital.
-Sales concentrated to US, UK: Sony is doing great in developing countries and smaller countries with smaller GDP. I would be REALLY surprised if Xbox has a much higher digital ratio in the US or UK.
-Low(er) install base: One of the most basic thing. If you sell more consoles (especially 50 million more) there will be a higher percentage of people not using or barely using the console and there will be a higher number of so called "casual gamers". You know the ones only playing FIFA and CoD etc.
-No big budget single player exclusives: Thats self-explainetory too. Multiplayer games always bigger digital ratio. MS had Sot, SoD, FH4 this year. All multiplayer focused games. These games are updated constantly, digital is a no brainer. On the other hand if you buy GoW, Spiderman or Detroit most people get a better deal with a boxed copy you can lend or sell after you beat it.
-Better storefront(?): Not sure about this one because I've never played on Xbox 1(Seriously, every single one of my friends and coworkers has PS4s, most of them owned a 360 before). The Xbox Store looks a bit more accessible and you can gift games and stuff(you can't on PS4) so maybe that helps a bit too.

Anyway it's quite smart and forward thinking for MS to focus on digital and services because those are the future and from the looks of it their ecosystem is getting greater every year. It was a move needed to be done because they were really struggling on games front this gen and I doubt they're making much money by selling dirt cheap XB S' with 2-3 games or even making profit on the X hardware sales.

 

[KillerMan91]

PS3 isn't really considered a failure though outside of it's first couple years. The Xbox One is still much more successful than the OG Xbox aswell.

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Depends on definition. Financially PS3 is the second biggest fuckup in history of console gaming (after original Xbox). They lost billions of dollars during PS3 gen.

 

[GUNDAM STARDUST]

I have over 50 digital games easily. Probably more.

 

[Guymelef]

The Xbox One has a real shot to pass the Super Nintendo... which would mean the Xbox One will of sold better than every Sega console ever released, and only less than two Nintendo consoles (NES/Wii).

It's not as big of a failure as people make the Xbox One out to be.

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Market has grown a lot since those days, passing Snes is nothing to be really proud.

 

[Deleted member 249]

Depends on definition. Financially PS3 is the second biggest fuckup in history of console gaming (after original Xbox). They lost billions of dollars during PS3 gen.

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Oh, I did not realize the original Xbox lost more money than the PS3, that's... damn.

 

[THEVOID]

I know personally after the 360 BC announcement, play anywhere, gamepass, and just how smooth the cloud saving has been I personally buy digital almost exclusively on XB1. Even simple things MS has done like treat disc install data and digital purchases the same made it easier to just switch.

Sony's inability to even get my PS1 purchases from last gen soured me on going digital on PS4 unless its a deep sale. Nintendo has just been so bad at digital that I pretty much don't go digital if I can help it. I spent a lot on digital for Wii, 3DS, and Wii U. I even did the $1 "upgrades" to bring certain purchases to Wii U. -.-

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This.

 

[OG_Thrills]

I find that digital tidbit surprising considering what we know about world wide ratios. Interesting.

 

[Deleted member 43]

What I mean is, considering digital is very high on Xbox, it's still easily seen as a viable platform, correct?

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Oh yeah, easily.

 

[Deleted member 249]

I think people will be surprised when they realize what consoles the Xbox One has already outsold...

N64
GameCube
OG Xbox
Sega Genesis
Sega Saturn
Sega Dreamcast
Sega Master System


The Xbox One has a real shot to pass the Super Nintendo... which would mean the Xbox One will of sold better than every Sega console ever released, and only less than two Nintendo consoles (NES/Wii).

It's not as big of a failure as people make the Xbox One out to be.

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Lol?

GameCube, Xbox, Saturn, Dreamcast, and Master System are all failures.
N64 is a moderate, one market success.
Genesis and SNES sold great, 30 years ago. The market is literally exponentially bigger now.
Is this supposed to impress someone?

 

[pswii60]

Wait wasn't it rumored for like 2-3 years that Xbox One was at 35m?

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No just last year.

 

[King_Moc]

I think people will be surprised when they realize what consoles the Xbox One has already outsold...

N64
GameCube
OG Xbox
Sega Genesis
Sega Saturn
Sega Dreamcast
Sega Master System


The Xbox One has a real shot to pass the Super Nintendo... which would mean the Xbox One will of sold better than every Sega console ever released, and only less than two Nintendo consoles (NES/Wii).

It's not as big of a failure as people make the Xbox One out to be.

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The market was mainly for children back then though. Pre and post ps1 it's a very different thing.

 

[RobbRivers]

At least in spain games are much cheaper phisically than digitally, but stock is very very low.

I only know very few people with xbox and a lot with ps4, I still can't understand prejuices to xbox brand in our country, even with 360, ps3 sold luch more...

I use to have 60-70% digital in xbox (they make a lot of phisical sales in my country...), 80-90% ps4 (only buy digital sales) and 10% in switch (I'm still not very confident about nintendo plans regarding to online and game licenses (wii store as an example).

 

[RedDevil]

Yeah, damn, never realized that

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Which is funny when 3DS is occasionally considered underwhelming coming from DS, I mean yeah, but still not bad.

 

[Shpeshal Nick]

Are you claiming to have any inside knowledge or something?!

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Lol no

Inside joke

 

[Deleted member 249]

Which is funny when 3DS is occasionally considered underwhelming coming from DS, I mean yeah, but still not bad.

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I guess it's all about context lol. DS is the second highest selling system of all time.

 

[Xbro]

It is though. They said in December that Xbox had just crossed 40 million. We know they sold 1 million in December so hence 41 million like xhuge just told us

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That very article says they crossed the 1 million mark mid-November. Before black Friday. The front page of the site has 43 million at the end of december

 

[E.Balboa]

I'm all digital on the XB1. Weirdly I trust MS the most with forward compatibility. Their 360 4K support is also great.

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I guess that's the answer. MS has repeatedly defended the continuity of your game library. Sony and Nintendo have not.

Their actions reflect that as well, since we keep seeing X1 and X360 games being ported and/or upgraded.

I'll gladly keep buying digital titles on the Xbox family.

 

[Deleted member 17630]

There's also a lot less physical games. Xbox doesn't get the smaller, niche, and mildly collectible games like PS gets from Japanese publishers, LimitedRun, etc.

 

[gofreak]

That doesn't sound right, or the switch would have better digital numbers since it's still the smallest user base? Also, zhuge wouldn't have found it so noteworthy.

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I should preface my post that saying, all else being equal demographically and in terms of the prominence of digital availability, I'd expect a smaller user base that hasn't grown out into more casual cohorts to have higher engagement with more 'hardcore' behaviors, like digital consumption. I'm not sure Nintendo is in an all 'else being equal' situation versus the Xbox/PS demographics in that regard.

I'm not saying it's the only factor, but I do think a number of ratios will fairly naturally dilute as a platform reaches more (less engaged/sophisticated/late adopter) users.

 

[AmFreak]

How does this number come together?

 

[Deleted member 35631]

I suspect they are saying that, because they want to try the all-digital console again next gen. It wouldn't surprise me that with these statistics, they claim that people want all digital and announce the exact same thing that they wanted to to with Xbox One, but refined so that people don't get pissed.

 

[jroc74]

Holy shit is that number low, even the failure PS3 did way more than that. Edit doesn't that mean a huge chunk of console gamers just vanished this gen? from 80, 80, 100 million to 90, 40, cant remember switch numbers, millions.

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I joked about this in a thread where a Tales of remaster had better sales on the Switch than the XBO....but this does make you think now. Maybe it does line up with 360 owners going to PS4.

We could say the same thing about that 90+ million PS4 number as well. Isn't Sony themselves that said 25% of PS4 sales are Pros. How many of that 1 in 4 is Pro purchasers are doubling dipping? I am sure there are millions more double dipping as you call it from that perspective on the PS4. Point is why does it matter either way.

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But look at the sales difference between PS4 and XBO. If the One X was such a success for them, I cant imagine where sales would be at without it.

Somewhere Playstation has grown its user base for home consoles from last gen and its still growing. Now I want the breakdown for both the One X and Pro, lol.

Depends on your region. Atleast in Europe the Xbox sales aren't as good as Sonys. Pricing is higher and there a way fewer sales.

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True, I'm in the US and the sales seem so similar.

I don't think these numbers are positive at all. Things like the launch of the XB1S, XB1X, backwards compat and insane deals (at least here in Australia) and the gap with PS4 has only grown?

It really does show how vital the first couple of years are, but there's also one thing Microsoft have been lagging in for a few years: big games. It's been long enough with Phil Spencer in charge that we really should have seen more compelling software launch already. I can understand if they are just putting all of their eggs in the next gen basket at this stage though.

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Yeah, again they have done alot to turn things around but wow....

All Sony have to so is do a deal for $199 and its selling like hotcakes. MS puts together so many deals, bundles throughout the year to no effect to the gap. Xbox sales from previous years, yeah it helps and thats always a goal to have IMO.

41 million is low. Even sony completly fucking up with the ps3 did better. Unless sony really screw up i expect another 2:1 sales gap or close to it next gen.

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Puts some things in perspective about the comparisons between the PS3 and XBO launch debacles. And where both the PS3 and PS4 will end up at vs the 360 and XBO.

 

[Kill3r7]

Which is funny when 3DS is occasionally considered underwhelming coming from DS, I mean yeah, but still not bad.

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When you consider how much the portable market shrunk from PSP+DS to Vita+3DS, the picture looks much grimmer.

 

[Deleted member 249]

I suspect they are saying that, because they want to try the all-digital console again next gen. It wouldn't surprise me that with these statistics, they claim that people want all digital and announce the exact same thing that they wanted to to with Xbox One, but refined so that people don't get pissed.

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They aren't saying anything, independent third party sources are reporting that number.

 

[pswii60]

I should preface my post that saying, all else being equal demographically and in terms of the prominence of digital availability, I'd expect a smaller user base that hasn't grown out into more casual cohorts to have higher engagement with more 'hardcore' behaviors, like digital consumption. I'm not sure Nintendo is in an all 'else being equal' situation versus the Xbox/PS demographics in that regard.

I'm not saying it's the only factor, but I do think a number of ratios will fairly naturally dilute as a platform reaches more (less engaged/sophisticated/late adopter) users.

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How is digital consumption a 'hardcore behaviour'??

It's the exact opposite in the here and now. We're not in 2005 anymore.

The hardcore are obsessed with physical media and ownership, whilst the more casual and younger generation are already used to digital consumption on all their other devices.

 

[GUNDAM STARDUST]

There's also a lot less physical games. Xbox doesn't get the smaller, niche, and mildly collectible games like PS gets from Japanese publishers, LimitedRun, etc.

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Ultimately, I don't think that moves the needle in this stat

 

[Shpeshal Nick]

Xbox One having a massive digital ratio is completely unsurprising.

It's a byproduct of having the confidence in knowing your digital library will carry forward for he foreseeable future.

I buy PS4 and Switch games physical mostly because I'm not confident either will support BC going forward.

 

[ccieag]

The bigger question is, when does Switch overtake Xbox? This year? Next year?

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This year, unless some major change occurs in the market. It will blow right past, especially if the rumored price drop occurs

 

[Poimandres]

honestly, this is a much better result than what reading a forum like here would lead you to believe. it's not a huge failure like some people think, and with this kind of result having a big comeback is more than possible. i'm rooting for xbox :)

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Come on... A 50% drop off from their last console is pretty savage. It could be farrr worse but it's still a poor result.

Microsoft's big problem is breaking into the world market. They have tried for 3 generations now, but a huge part of the world doesn't seem receptive to Microsoft consoles at all. They really did make a huge effort especially in the first few years of the 360... And nothing came of it. Honestly I don't know if there's anything they can do in some of these markets.

 

[JusDoIt]

That seems so low. I thought it was around 30 million like two years ago.

 

[cakely]

41 million units. Whelp, there it is. Game Pass, BC and the Xbox One X didn't really change the sales trajectory of the Xbox One, especially outside of the US.

Because 45m was the number that most people agreed for MS last year. Around 50m by now, seemed possible to me even with the XBO slow growth. It seems that number was overly positive?

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"Most people" did not agree that the Xbox One sold 45m units at this time last year.

 

[Andri]

the eff happened.

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An Xbox is selling like an xbox to be honest.

Only reason the 360 managed to get to 80m is the incredible overperformance in US(~50m).
X360 was to the NA market for MS what GBA was for Nintendo.
45+M in North America, 80m WW LTD.
Problem for MS being that they didnt follow up their GBA with a DS(aka keeping great NA sales and also increasing Europe/Japan/ROTW sales), but rather lost sales everywhere.

It's not even going to touch 3ds at this rate.

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3DS numbers are something most Manufacturers dream about.
Its most likely gonna end up around PS3/XB360 numbers, but because 3DS was preceeded by the best selling handheld ever, even 80m is "bad".

 

[Deleted member 9584]

I suspect they are saying that, because they want to try the all-digital console again next gen. It wouldn't surprise me that with these statistics, they claim that people want all digital and announce the exact same thing that they wanted to to with Xbox One, but refined so that people don't get pissed.

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They don't have to announce an all digital system. They can have their cake and eat it too; that's what gamepass is for. It turns the Xbox into the always online and digital system that they want to sell, while still giving people the option to play physical games.

 

[Andri]

That seems so low. I thought it was around 30 million like two years ago.

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It was.
And it sold about 5m a year since.

 

[KillerMan91]

Oh, I did not realize the original Xbox lost more money than the PS3, that's... damn.

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MS gaming division lost over 6 billion dollars between 2001 and 2005. They really bought their way into the industry. Sony lost about 4 billion during PS3 gen (and this was with PSP and PS2 actually making money so PS3 lost even more).

 

[Deleted member 12352]

That's lower than I would have assumed. Switch will likely overtake it's LTD in the not-too-distant.

 

[Bear and bird]

Xbox One having a massive digital ratio is completely unsurprising.

It's a byproduct of having the confidence in knowing your digital library will carry forward for he foreseeable future.

I buy PS4 and Switch games physical mostly because I'm not confident either will support BC going forward.

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I'd also argue that Microsoft was better at laying the groundwork last gen. XBLA and Summer of Arcade is remembered to this day with many games becoming million sellers on XBL. Then there was stuff like Games on Demand, Xbox Live Indie Games and mandatory demos for XBLA games.

That's not to say that Sony or even Nintendo didn't put in work in the digital space last gen. It's just that MS was one step ahead in that regard.

 

[Ebtesam]

So this's Fake news right ?
https://gadgets.ndtv.com/games/news/xbox-one-lifetime-to-date-sales-2018-1866894

 

[Cess007]

"Most people" did not agree that the Xbox One sold 45m units at this time last year.

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It seems I was wrong. I edited a comment on my post to let people know I was under a bad assumption

 

[BradleyLove]

honestly, this is a much better result than what reading a forum like here would lead you to believe. it's not a huge failure like some people think, and with this kind of result having a big comeback is more than possible. i'm rooting for xbox :)

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I'm struggling to understand how, selling half as many devices as the previous gen and soon to be outsold by a device with less than two years on the market, is not a huge failure?

 

[only_fools_&_horses]

Come on... A 50% drop off from their last console is pretty savage. It could be farrr worse but it's still a poor result.

Actually what susprised me is that the XB1 is only 900K behind the 360 launch aligned. Very surprising! It's ulikely to have a second wind like the 360 did, but that metric makes these sales look pretty decent.

Microsoft's big problem is breaking into the world market. They have tried for 3 generations now, but a huge part of the world doesn't seem receptive to Microsoft consoles at all. They really did make a huge effort especially in the first few years of the 360... And nothing came of it. Honestly I don't know if there's anything they can do in some of these markets.

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In US, right? Because globally launch aligned X1 is behind X360 for ~9 million :

On January 6, 2011, Microsoft stated that the Xbox 360 sold over 50 million units worldwide during their CES 2011 conference. In addition, they stated that the Kinect sold about 8 million units, 3 million more than initially predicted, during the product's first 60 days on the market. It was also announced that Xbox Live had more than 30 million users, making 2010 the best year to date for the online service

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xbox_360_sales

 

[Schreckweg 5000]

honestly, this is a much better result than what reading a forum like here would lead you to believe. it's not a huge failure like some people think, and with this kind of result having a big comeback is more than possible. i'm rooting for xbox :)

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Reading about the big comeback of the Xbox is a bit amusing, when they just got beaten in their most relevant market by a wide margin by Nintendo, which came back from a complete failure of a console.