Microsoft Not Announcing Consoles Sales in Future for Primary Numbers

Will Release Xbox Live Numbers Instead

By Bryan Smith on October 23, 2015 at 2:51pm

Microsoft released their first fiscal quarter for the current year. They also told GameInformer that Microsoft won't be releasing console numbers in the future for their primary indicator for successes.

Microsoft will not be using console shipments as its primary metric for success beginning with this quarter, we have been told. The company is more focused on engagement, leading it to choose Xbox Live usership as its leading statistic.

While that doesn't mean we won't hear about console shipment statistics, it won't be something we should expect to see every quarter. Microsoft also indicates that the 39 million Xbox Live users reported today are more narrowly defined now. We've been told that this metric now reflects users that have logged in within the past month. No differentiation has been made between gold (paying) and silver (free) members.

In contrast, Sony and Nintendo have consistently reported their console sales and continue to show those numbers primarily. It's also been reported that Xbox hardware revenue went down due to the lower number of Xbox 360 consoles being sold.