As well as boasting about nearly tripling PS3's sales recently, Microsoft's just issued some more GOOD NEWS about how sales are going following the recent Europe-wide price cuts.

Sales are going WELL since the recent Europe-wide price cuts, with Neil Thompson, Microsoft's European Senior Regional Director, pointing out that Xbox 360's just managed its best-yet week of sales, even eclipsing the 2005 Christmas launch fever. Here are his unedited words...

"To date, we have sold 7 million consoles in Europe and recently enjoyed our biggest sales week ever. Our trend research shows that families are looking for gifts that keep on giving throughout the year."

The bit on the end about "trend research" is something about people saying they're not going to stop buying games consoles just because the world seems to be running out of money. It's not relevant, but I left it in so I wouldn't have to write so much down here.

This is a darn well-timed price cut they have in there. And more is still to come.

Awesome stuff, if only I had room for more good Xbox 360 news in my signature!

Is this really a supprise, we are in one of the biggest down turns in living memory. We have 3 consoles 1 is £119, 1 is £179 and the other is £320. I think the Wii is on its own track and can't really be compared to the 360/PS3 so we have £119 vs £320. One has all the best games and one has buy-ray. To play the games you just need a telly (SD), to play Blu-ray you need a HD telly. This is more money. I know there is more to this aguement but money is the biggest facter in the world today and Sony have dropped the ball big time.

Its good news for MS all around these days

I still think PS3 loses without a price cut soon. And they won't have a price cut soon, so they're going to lose. The way consoles are selling this holiday, and the way the PS3 isn't selling..2009 doesn't even matter, the games that come out don't matter..they're going to lose.

I'm 'sort of' a Sony Fanboy too..so before you call this trolling, I call it facing the facts.

What the hell happened in Europe last week for the 360 to be so high?

Interestingly enough, VGC agrees with that statement.

What's crazy is that for the comparable week in 2007, Microsoft is up over 300%. It sold under 80,000 units the same week. The X360 went on to jump up to 200,000 before Christmas was over.

If the same trend (+300%) continued, the X360 could sell ~600,000 units in a single week in Europe/PAL alone. At a minimum, it will sell ~400,000 units. Which is crazy, given the relatively poor performance Microsoft has had in Europe.

MS certainly has given a DS-like turnaround in performance in Europe.

And now its a question of "If they can ship them fast enough"

If the numbers are far ahead of projections then expect them to run into massive shortages very soon.

sony will not cut the price, why? because they are a business and as a business they want to make money. not lose more! its obvious all microsoft care about is beating sony even though they are probably losing tons of money and probably wont have anything to show for it in the end.