Microsoft released the Xbox Series X/S around the same time as the Sony
PlayStation 5. However, for most of the time after the launch, the PlayStation 5 has suppressed the Xbox Series X/S, and the monthly, quarterly and annual sales around the world have not given opponents any chance. This situation did not improve until more than a year after launch, and in late 2021, monthly sales of the Xbox Series X/S began to exceed the PlayStation 5 in individual regions.
Recent data shows that Xbox Series X/S hardware sales overwhelm PlayStation 5 in March 2022. Then Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella
confirmed that the Xbox Series X/S not only beat the PlayStation 5 in recent monthly sales but also beat each other in total sales in the first quarter of 2022.
Our ambition is to empower gamers to when, and where, and how they want. With our Xbox Series X and S consoles, we have [gained] share globally for two quarters in a row and we are the market leader this quarter amongst the next-gen in the United States, Canada, North American, and Western Europe.
And with Xbox Cloud Gaming, we’re redefining how games are distributed, played, and viewed. To date, more than 10 million people have streamed games. […] Our Game Pass library now includes hundreds of titles across PC and consoles, including more games from third-party publishers than ever before. Billions of hours have been played by subscribers over the past 12 months, up 45 percent.
Microsoft CFO Amy Hood said that in the first quarter of 2022, Xbox business revenue increased by 4% year-on-year, and sales from hardware increased by 14%. However, the recent good situation of the Xbox Series X/S may encounter some obstacles. Due to the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic, the relevant sales data are expected to decline in the next quarter.
Microsoft’s affected hardware devices are not only the Xbox Series X/S but also the Surface and other Windows device product lines.
In addition to its own efforts, the Xbox Series X/S’s No. 1 position is also related to the erratic supply of the PlayStation 5 over the past few months. In fact, due to various constraints on the supply chain, parts procurement and logistics for PlayStation 5 have become increasingly difficult since the second half of last year, and Sony has even revised its original sales target for this.
