When it comes to reporting official sales numbers for the Xbox One in particular, Microsoft has been silent since April, when it reported that more than 5 million systems had shipped to retailers around the world. Microsoft broke that silence today, via a post on Xbox Wire that somewhat vaguely stated “soon we will have sold more than 10 million Xbox One consoles to retailers.”
That number of 10 million represents a big increase from our most recent estimates that Microsoft had shipped 6.7 to 7.35 million systems through the end of September, based on reports of total Xbox shipments, which also included the Xbox 360. it is not impossible that both numbers are accurate.
First, Microsoft’s use of the word “soon” leaves a lot of leeway for exactly when the 10 million milestone will be reached. The current number of shipments could be as high as 9.99 million or as low as… whatever, really, to make Microsoft’s statement technically true.
The six weeks since the end of September also serve as the run-up to the Christmas shopping season, which kicks into high gear on Black Friday in a few weeks. With that sales frenzy coming up, retailers are likely stocking more consoles than usual in anticipation of massive demand during Black Friday sales and into December.
Finally, there is the price drop. Since Microsoft lowered the asking price for Xbox One bundles to $349 on Nov. 2, the company says console sales have “more than tripled” week over week in the US. Such a sudden spike in sales in the world’s largest game console market can go a long way in boosting global shipment numbers, even if the spike is still relatively recent.
Having a system with sales in the eight-figure range would be a major milestone for the Xbox One, but it’s important to keep that number in context. Sony reported last month that the PlayStation 4 had already shipped 13.5 million systems worldwide by the end of September, a number that likely increased during the run-up to the holiday season. It won’t be until January or February before we really have a good sense of how the two consoles’ crucial second holidays have affected the composition of the console sales race.