NEW YORK (Dow Jones) – Microsoft Corp. said on Friday that it has sold 17.7 million Xbox 360 units since its launch more than two years ago.
The Xbox 360, which launched in November 2005, had nearly a year head start over its rivals, Sony Corp.’s Playstation 3 and Nintendo Co. Ltd.’s Wii and boasted a strong portfolio of titles to end the year, led by space marine-shooter “Halo 3.” That puts it ahead of Nintendo’s forecast of 17.5 million units by the end of the fiscal year that ends in March.
It’s a positive sign for Microsoft, which has seen the Wii outsell its rivals over the past few months. Nintendo’s casual gamer-friendly product remains the hot console, as it has struggled to manufacture enough Wiis to meet demand.
Sony continues to lag behind despite cutting the price of its console in October. The pricey game system – which includes a Blu-Ray high-definition disc player – and lackluster selection of games have kept sales muted. The company expects sales of 11 million units by the end of the fiscal year.
Microsoft pointed to “Halo 3,” which sold more than 8.1 million copies since its September launch, and sci-fi role-playing game “Mass Effect,” which sold 1.6 million units since late November, as catalysts for its hardware sales.
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