MS: Xbox360 best selling console WW in 2011

[welshbloke]

Reasonable said:

I'm saying MS will know public shipments and shoudl be able to estimate what they believe Sony will have shipped but not released based on their sources.  That gives them a view on which to base their statements.  Ballmer almost certainly couldn't have been speaking knowing 100% Sony's position vs MS.  He would know MS and an internal estimate of Sony's position.  That's my point.

TBH MS/Ballmer could say MS was number 1 even if - hypothetically - Sony sold slightly more.  So long as the final result is very close MS would know Sony would have no position to refute it sensibly.  Most likely MS/Ballmer were fairly sure their internal tracking of Sony vs their sales gave them enough confidence in their position.

Sales/Inventory always flexes a bit an all numbers in statements like this are approximations.  Only financial records have to be as exact as possible and even they will get low level small adjustments over time.  That's always the way with physical inventory.

I am sure this is the case and if we are to believe IGN Microsoft even corrected them which indicates a level of confidence. Plus when you factor in Sony has not made any challenge at least so far, that would probably point to either the numbers being close or they were soundly beaten.