Sales of the Xbox One console have reportedly been a mystery, but Microsoft has finally admitted that its sales are less than half of those of rival Sony’s PS4 console. Microsoft stopped reporting its Xbox One sales data in fiscal year 2016 and instead focused on Xbox Live data, which allowed the outside world to never really know how well the Xbox One was selling. But analysts have consistently ranked the Xbox One in third place, behind Sony and Nintendo.
Now, a document submitted by Microsoft to Brazilian regulators has finally unveiled the true performance of Xbox One. In that document, Microsoft said: “Sony has surpassed Microsoft in terms of sales and ownership of video game consoles. For the Xbox One generation, Sony PS4 has sold more than twice as many units as we have.”
Today, Sony no longer reports its PS4 shipments. But as of March this year, it sold 117.2 million units. Although Microsoft did not provide specific sales figures for the Xbox One, this document suggests that its sales are certainly below 58.5 million units.
The figure is in line with a study by market research firm Ampere Analysis 2020, which put Xbox One ownership at 51 million units by the end of the second quarter of 2020.
By comparison, the Nintendo Switch currently sells 111.08 million units and is expected to surpass Sony’s PS4 year later this year. That said, Microsoft appears to be closing this huge gap with its Xbox Series S/X consoles.
Xbox One sales may be average, but Microsoft has done some work on the Xbox One that has set an important foundation for the Xbox Series S/X. For example, the Xbox Series X launched with support for 1440p, variable refresh rate (VRR) and 120Hz gaming, all tested on the Xbox One.
Microsoft’s admission of weak Xbox One sales also comes at a time when the industry is engaged in a broader discussion about Sony and Microsoft. In January, Microsoft announced the acquisition of game developer and interactive entertainment content publisher Activision Blizzard for $69 billion. After the deal is completed, Microsoft will become the third-highest revenue gaming company in the world, behind only Tencent and Sony.
