November 2008 saw the largest Xbox sales ever in the six-year history of the brand in Europe as data shows that the console outsold PS3 across the entire region and in particular has seen significant gains in markets like France, Spain and Italy, where it has been outselling PS3 week after week. Xbox 360 has sold more than seven million consoles in Europe since its launch in November 2005 and was the fastest-growing console in Europe for the month of November, with sales up year-over-year 124% versus 43% for Wii and 3% for PS3.
Chris Lewis, Regional Vice President, Interactive Entertainment Business EMEA, said: “November was a very significant milestone for Xbox – we sold the most consoles ever in our history in Europe, and are outselling PS3 week-on-week across Europe. Since the reduction in the Xbox 360 ERP in September, bringing the entry-level price point for Xbox 360 down to £129.99, consumers have responded enthusiastically to the Xbox 360 offering. Our strong partnerships with retail and with publishers have played a big role in this success – we are working closely with retail to ensure a steady supply of consoles throughout the Christmas season, and third-party games have been selling well on the Xbox 360 platform and providing great choice for consumers.
“In the current economic conditions, consumers are more cautious than ever and looking for more value for their entertainment spend,” said Lewis. “Xbox 360 delivers that value - we’re now the best-value next-gen console on the market and this positive momentum indicates Xbox 360 is offering the right blend of gaming and entertainment experiences at the right price.”
Piers Harding-Rolls, senior games analyst at media research company Screen Digest said: “Even under the current economic conditions European consumers are spending strongly on games as we reach the mass adoption phase of this cycle of consoles. This Christmas we expect console game sales to outperform last year by a substantial margin, which is a boost for the whole industry. Consumers recognise that games offer a strong value proposition compared to many other forms of entertainment and this is being reflected at the tills.”