Analyst: Xbox One global sales at 41 million; digital sale ratio far higher on Xbox One than on other platforms

[Deleted member 249]

From ZHugeEX himself:

Had a quick scan of the release.

Xbox One had a good year all things considered. Hardware was up YoY thanks to the release of the Xbox One X. Software remains healthy and I really need to stress how large the digital shares are on Xbox compared to other platforms. Global installed base now around 41m.

Click to shrink...

Seems like the ratio of sales between Xbox One and PS4 grew larger than the 2:1 we have been assuming for a while. I would suppose the Switch matches or exceeds the Xbox One's global lifetime sales by the end of 2019.

Digital sales on Xbox One seem to be doing extraordinarily well as well, which obviously adds to Microsoft's revenue.

Mods, please feel free to lock if not good enough for a thread.

Just to clarify, the first part of the statement in the OP is talking about US sales data.

Click to shrink...

 

[MrKlaw]

Curious why Xbox would be much larger digitally than other platforms. Disproportionately large US install base compared to global where retail might be more prevalent in many countries?

Would be interesting to understand approx digital sales vs other platforms by region

 

[Cess007]

The digital radio was something we kinda assumed too but it's good to have some confirmation. On the other hand, I kind expected MS to be almost around 50m.

 

[Eolz]

Interesting, when was the last time we got relatively precise numbers about it?

 

[CloseTalker]

Interesting. Xbox has a ton of excellent digital services, so that doesn't blow my mind too much. I own quite a few full priced games digitally on Xbone.

 

[Jroc]

I remember the Xbox 360 having a higher than average software attach rate. Maybe it's a consequence of Microsoft targeting North America/UK over international markets where the average buyer has less disposable income. That along with gamepass might explain the crazy digital sales numbers.

 

[ianpm31]

Curious why Xbox would be much larger digitally than other platforms. Disproportionately large US install base compared to global where retail might be more prevalent in many countries?

Would be interesting to understand approx digital sales vs other platforms by region

Click to shrink...

I would think that's the case

 

[Kyoufu]

Curious why Xbox would be much larger digitally than other platforms. Disproportionately large US install base compared to global where retail might be more prevalent in many countries?

Would be interesting to understand approx digital sales vs other platforms by region

Click to shrink...

I imagine the higher the number of users the smaller the attach ratio/digital ratio or any ratio becomes.

 

[WestEgg]

I have around 15 games on Xbox one and precisely one of them is physical. Granted, most of the others are from game pass or games with gold.

 

[Aokiji]

weren't ppl saying it was around 40 last year?

 

[nib95]

Is the titbit about digital share based on global data, or just US?

 

[LegendofLex]

Curious why Xbox would be much larger digitally than other platforms. Disproportionately large US install base compared to global where retail might be more prevalent in many countries?

Click to shrink...

could also be less friction since many people have Microsoft accounts for non-Xbox reasons

 

[Uno Venova]

Wasn't it at 35 more than a year ago? That seems like slow growth.

 

[entremet]

I'm all digital on the XB1. Weirdly I trust MS the most with forward compatibility. Their 360 4K support is also great.

 

[Deleted member 1185]

Curious why Xbox would be much larger digitally than other platforms. Disproportionately large US install base compared to global where retail might be more prevalent in many countries?

Would be interesting to understand approx digital sales vs other platforms by region

Click to shrink...

Combination of US heavy market with accessible internet access and I would suspect high confidence in the ecosystem. MS services like their BC system gives people reassurance their games will always be playable no matter what box they buy

 

[Outrun]

It is great news for MS that digital is thriving.

With the advent of MS Reward points, I plan on buying the next gen console direct from MS.

 

[Deleted member 18161]

A decent number when you consider the disastrous pre launch announcements and high launch price.

 

[EkStatiC]

WOW, 41mil is better than the first XBOX.
Good job Phil steering this ship to the right direction.

 

[DomsPlaying]

I basically trust everything Z says and that 41 million unit figure sounds realistic, however I would love there to be an actual source for this that isn't just him.

C'mon Microsoft!

 

[Madao]

they have a lot of good digital deals. it' wouldn't be weird they have the best digital sales ratio.

 

[Calverz]

Didnt someone from MS recently day that digital share was highest on xbox because they found that the people who have stuck with them are more hardcore players. So not many casuals around? My games tab says i have 300+ games. Maybe 10 of these are xbox 360 discs.....

 

[Mass Effect]

Between BC (does this count towards XB1 or 360/OG?) and Game Pass (oh and EA Access) it makes sense that Xbox's digital ratio is much higher than the other two's. I mean why not go digital if its cheaper than physical there?

The digital radio was something we kinda assumed too but it's good to have some confirmation. On the other hand, I kind expected MS to be almost around 50m.

Click to shrink...

How? Given that the US makes up the majority of the Xbox's sales, I don't see how that would be possible.

 

[christocolus]

It is great news for MS that digital is thriving.

With the advent of MS Reward points, I plan on buying the next gen console direct from MS.

Click to shrink...

Agreed. MS has built an ecosystem were users feel very comfortable investing fully in digital. I switched 80% to digital this gen and I expect them do even better next gen with xcloud, gamepass , crossplay and whatever new Xbox services they have planned for Scarlett.

 

[Cess007]

How? Given that the US makes up the majority of the Xbox's sales, I don't see how that would be possible.

Click to shrink...

Because 45m was the number that most people agreed for MS last year. Around 50m by now, seemed possible to me even with the XBO slow growth. It seems that number was overly positive?

Edit. It seems I was wrong about this, so, please disregard me :P

 

[Deleted member 43]

Xbox's digital numbers are very good indeed, partly due to their services, and partly due to a smaller (therefore more "hardcore" and engaged) user base.

 

[Madison]

The console would have sold 10 million without the excellent people behind the scenes fixing the console and giving it reasons to exist.

Massive props to Phil, the BC team, Rare and 343 Industries.

 

[ArcaneFreeze]

I've been a staunch supporter of physical games, I'm all physical on my switch and PS4 but my XBone im all digital. Not surprised to hear how well digital is doing on Xbox

 

[DocSeuss]

I imagine the higher the number of users the smaller the attach ratio/digital ratio or any ratio becomes.

Click to shrink...

nah, the 360 had a dramatically higher attach rate back in the day when it was ahead of the PS3. Microsoft has always been really good at getting their players to buy games.

I read a year or so ago that Microsoft was making really good numbers on the gaming front because they were way more effective at monetizing their customers than Sony; Xbox players buy more games.

The console would have sold 10 million without the excellent people behind the scenes fixing the console and giving it reasons to exist.

Massive props to Phil, the BC team, Rare and 343 Industries.

Click to shrink...

The Xbox One was always going to sell more than the WiiU.

 

[Kill3r7]

I imagine the higher the number of users the smaller the attach ratio/digital ratio or any ratio becomes.

Click to shrink...

Except, iirc PS4 has a much better attach ratio than PS3. Like significantly better. Maybe Welfare or other knowledgeable posters can chime in with numbers.

 

[Tetrinski]

Good times ahead for Xbox! When are these numbers from? I heard they outsold PS4 last month, isn't that a big deal in a December month?

 

[Deleted member 8777]

Most endearing failure in gaming history. I love mine.

 

[Mercenary09]

Yeah I've been saying for awhile that they are probably around the 40-42 million mark most likely. People who think it should be higher don't realize that the US is their biggest market. Consoles I think typically sell under 10,000 units a week for most of the year in someplace like the UK. Then you factor in the fact that they are pretty much dead in most of Europe and Japan and they really don't sell that many Xbox's a year worldwide.

 

[Zetran]

It's digital ratio. Xbox have far lower total digital revenue than PS but because the the the total player is lower hence the ratio higher. It doesn't even mean Xbox even have more hardcore player just lower player count denominator.

It also means outside US Xbox sales is a utter failure

 

[G_Shumi]

The digital numbers is surprising but not unexpected. Just looking at my collection, I own around 30 physical games for PS4 and around 10 for Xbox One, but I have nearly full hard drives for both consoles at 2TB each. Xbox One also does sales well and many of their exclusive games have been free with Games With Gold, meaning that there was no need to buy the game in the first place.

 

[R dott B]

I wonder if they will hit 50 million before the X5.

 

[jon bones]

I buy all-digital on my 1X - if anything I feel like most of these titles will be playable on the 2X.

 

[Psamtik]

It's nice to know that anything I buy digitally on the XB1 will travel with me to their next console, and probably to the one after that.

 

[FusedAtoms]

Do game pass games count in digital attach? Because that on top of backwards compatibility would definitely boost that number.

 

[Tetrinski]

I've been a staunch supporter of physical games, I'm all physical on my switch and PS4 but my XBone im all digital. Not surprised to hear how well digital is doing on Xbox

Click to shrink...

If you don't mind me asking, what are the reasons why you decided to go all digital on Xbox but not other platforms?

 

[srtrestre]

Good showing, all things considered. That digital share is interesting. Xbox is set to do really well next gen.

I miss the 360 days. Would love to see MS reach those heights again.

 

[Omnistalgic]

Good times ahead for Xbox! When are these numbers from? I heard they outsold PS4 last month, isn't that a big deal in a December month?

Click to shrink...

The big deal in December was Switch. PS4 was lower because the best deal for it was in November. Switch outsold both of them combined I believe.

Also services are Sony's only really glaring flaw, they could definitely increase endgagment for PSN with better features and more frequent updates.

 

[Bear and bird]

Those are decent HW numbers all things considered. Looks like the XBO will end up in the 50-55 mill range by the end of the generation.

They would have been a lot higher had the original vision for Xbox One not been such a clusterfuck, but at least they have a sizable userbase to build upon into the next generation.

 

[Tetrinski]

Yeah I've been saying for awhile that they are probably around the 40-42 million mark most likely. People who think it should be higher don't realize that the US is their biggest market. Consoles I think typically sell under 10,000 units a week for most of the year in someplace like the UK. Then you factor in the fact that they are pretty much dead in most of Europe and Japan and they really don't sell that many Xbox's a year worldwide.

Click to shrink...

They have a huge market share in Mexico though. They dominate that market and it's a huge, rapidly growing one.

 

[Welfare]

Hardware around where it should be and confirmation that digital on Xbox One is great.

If only we got to see the splits.

Xbox One LTD will be ~50M. PS4 I predict to be +120M

 

[Sphinx]

Hardwarewise, they do very very well in the US, they compete head to head with PS4 and Switch there as seen by NPD results,

but they must be failing sooo hard in many other territories (Japan, Germany, France?...) to be at 40 million this far into the generation.

that being said, they are well ahead of PS4 and Switch with their online game, so they will be rewarded for that.

bring on scarlett already

 

[Theorry]

That digital thing is always coming back. I believe ones was said that a factor in play is also that alot of Xbox users already got more "used" to buying digital and the end of the 360 era.
So with Xbox One launch easier went digital only.

 

[ApeEscaper]

I wonder the split numbers of Xbox One OG/S/X owners

 

[Benjamin1981]

Considering their digital store and pricing suck compared to Sony, this is rather surprising.

 

[Tetrinski]

It's digital ratio. Xbox have far lower total digital revenue than PS but because the the the total player is lower hence the ratio higher. It doesn't even mean Xbox even have more hardcore player just lower player count denominator.

It also means outside US Xbox sales is a utter failure

Click to shrink...

That is not how ratios work. They are not affected by total player counts.

 

[xabbott]

I know personally after the 360 BC announcement, play anywhere, gamepass, and just how smooth the cloud saving has been I personally buy digital almost exclusively on XB1. Even simple things MS has done like treat disc install data and digital purchases the same made it easier to just switch.

Sony's inability to even get my PS1 purchases from last gen soured me on going digital on PS4 unless its a deep sale. Nintendo has just been so bad at digital that I pretty much don't go digital if I can help it. I spent a lot on digital for Wii, 3DS, and Wii U. I even did the $1 "upgrades" to bring certain purchases to Wii U. -.-