MS: Xbox 360 has sold 39m units

Today 03:16 - Link to article

Microsoft head honcho Steve Ballmer has told a CES 2010 audience that there are over 39 million Xbox 360s in homes around the world.

Microsoft also announced that more than 2.2 million people played on Xbox Live at the same time between Christmas and the New Year, and one new user appeared every second.

And half of Xbox Live's 20-million strong user-base have logged onto the new social features Facebook, Twitter, Netflix, Last.fm, Sky, Canal and Zune.

Those figures kick-started a delayed keynote, the beginning of which was plagued by technical difficulties.

But while they were recovering, Microsoft's press site was publishing, spilling the beans on a "holiday 2010" release date for Project Natal and announcing the Xbox Game Room for Xbox Live.

Looks like VG Chartz are a couple of million units wrong on the 360 sales, they have the 360 as 36.58 units sold?

That is 39 million sold to venders meaning there is about 2.42m sitting on shelves.

So thats 39 million consoles in peoples homes, not in vendors - makes for interesting numbers.

Still, its not like no-one has been mis-quoted before, or got their speech wrong. Impressive though...

Its shipped guys. Check out the article on the front page. They are clearing out inventory to prepare for launching a X360 box that will include Natal.

Which is quite a feat. Only 500k units shipped lower than last year's Q4 (or MS's Q2 in the fiscal year) which is very impressive considering how huge last year was. Also 10.5 million shipped for the entire year. They are probably quite happy right now.

Bullet- not unlikely in the holiday season if you don't sell out. Actually rather normal. And no all 2.42 million aren't sitting on shelves probably most still in retailer warehouses.

They are clearing out inventory a year in advance?? Hard to believe.

10.5m X360s shipped from Jan-Dec 2009 is about 6% off the peak four-quarter period for X360, and thats despite the aggressive price cutting.

From April 2008 to March 2009 they shipped 11.2m X360s - thats the best 12 month period for X360. From July 2008 to June 2009 they shipped 11.1m X360s. From October 2008 to September 2009 they shipped 11m X360s. From January 2009 to December 2009 they shipped 10.5m X360s. Looks like it is in steady decline to me.

Why so many on shelves? Over shipped or what?

Why would it be over shipped?
Each store most likely includes all models, and most likely at least 2 of each in shelves and many more stored.

The decline was expected if you ask me. The economic situation is in bad shape. Combine that with the lack of any real interesting exclusive releases for the Xbox 360 in 2009 before the release of ODST, and the result is a 9 month period with nothing to build momentum on. BUT, when MS started the aggressive price cutting, the momentum came.

But even so, the fact of the matter is that indeed the Xbox 360 is in steady decline, despite aggressive price cutting and a Halo/Forza 3/L4D2 combo.

EDIT: These game can be used to build momentum on, in combination with a price cut. But to expect these games to solely move a lot of hardware is a bit too much. They are all sequals to already released Xbox 360 games after all.