Microsoft sells more than 1 mn new Xbox One consoles within 24 hours of launch
23 Nov 2013
Microsoft sold more than 1 million of its new Xbox One game consoles within 24 hours of their hitting store shelves yesterday, which was on par with Sony's PlayStation 4 even though it launched in far more countries.
The new console, which launched in 13 countries, set a record for first-day Xbox sales and is currently sold out at most retailers, Microsoft said in a statement.
According to Sony it sold 1 million PS4 units in 24 hours after launching last Friday in just the US and Canada. The PS4 would open to new regions, including Europe, Australia and South America, from 29 November and would hit Japan in February.
Microsoft and Sony are battling over the console market this holiday season. The software giant hopes the Xbox One would entice not only gamers but attract a larger consumer base of TV fans and music lovers with its interactive entertainment features and media apps.
Yusuf Mehdi, corporate vice president of marketing and strategy at Xbox said the company was working hard to create more Xbox One consoles.
Meanwhile, British video gamers entered a new era this morning as the Xbox One opened for sale ushering in a new generation of consoles that would be joined in the UK next week by Sony's PS4.
Both Sony and Microsoft aim to make gaming, already bigger than Hollywood, even more significant, but their sights are also set on the living room.
According to commentators, Xbox One was Microsoft's most important product for the next five years, as it was something beyond a games console.
It was a serious attempt to change the dynamics of how families viewed entertainment.
Even with there being no need to leave the Xbox environment, there would eventually be comprehensive television on demand, Skype, games of course and web access in a way that would be usable on the big television screen.
The console aims to totally swamp all the on-demand films and television shows that are growing in popularity, and also incorporate much of the technology that was key to, Virgin or Sky.