Microsoft hasn’t released official Xbox One figures in about three and a half years. The last time was in November 2014, when they claimed to have sold 10 million Xbox Ones. And although Electronic Arts noted that about 18 million to 19 million units of the console were sold in a January 2016 earnings call, it’s been quiet since then.
Now, Microsoft says the reason is that they are using a different “key metric for success.”
“We are continuing to look at engagement as our key metric for success and are no longer reporting on total console sales,” a spokesperson told Variety. “During Microsoft’s FY18 Q3 earnings, we announced that gaming revenue grew 18% year-over-year, driven by Xbox software and services revenue growth of 24%, and Xbox Live monthly active users grew 1% year-over-year to 59 million. We continue to see strong growth with time spent on Xbox Live, and look forward to bringing more unprecedented experiences on Xbox One, Windows 10 PC and mobile.”
When questioned on Xbox One’s lack of exclusives last month (which many people suggest is the reason for Xbox One’s low sales), analyst Michael Pachter of Wedbush Securities claims that it’s not too late for Microsoft to turn the tide.
“No, [it’s not too late]. I’m not sure that console exclusives matter as much as they used to,” said Pachter. “I mean when Sony first launched the PlayStation, they had to have a lot of exclusives, because they needed to demonstrate why you wanted to switch from Nintendo to them. These things are so well established by now, though, that I don’t think you need tremendous first party support anymore. In fact, I’m not even sure first party support is why most people buy PlayStation consoles. I think they buy a PS4 because it’s a great device, and because they like PSN more than Xbox Live, and because it has a lot of cool content, third and first party. I think a major driver is the timed exclusive Call of Duty DLC content for the mainstream market… I think that’s helped.
“So, no, I think Microsoft is fine. Their first party quality aren’t necessarily bad games, I think they just have smaller addressable markets, because they don’t have the broad appeal that a Sony or Nintendo game has. And, you know, I personally think Sony has done a great job focusing on single player games. And Microsoft is so committed to focusing on multiplayer, that they haven’t done a great job with single player. I honestly think that’s the primary difference between Sony and Microsoft, not quality, Microsoft’s games are good (Sea of Thieves notwithstanding).”