The Xbox Series X|S enjoyed the “biggest Xbox launch ever,” with the consoles reportedly selling more units in their first 24 hours on sale than any previous Xbox console. This includes the original Xbox, the Xbox 360, and the Xbox One.
Head of Xbox Phil Spencer made the announcement on Twitter, saying that the company had sold more units in more countries than ever before. Spencer also noted that he was currently working with retailers to resupply as quickly as possible, meaning the XSX and XSS consoles hopefully won’t be out of stock for long.
Thank you for supporting the largest launch in Xbox history. In 24 hrs more new consoles sold, in more countries, than ever before. We’re working with retail to resupply as quickly as possible. You continue to show us the connective power of play is more important than ever.
— Phil Spencer (@XboxP3) November 12, 2020
The Xbox Series X|S launched globally on November 10, with retailers quickly selling out of their stock as a result. This followed a strong interest in pre-orders for the consoles, with the Xbox Series X selling out almost immediately in most stores, while the Xbox Series S also proved
How much has the Xbox Series X|S sold?
The Xbox Series X|S will have sold more than 1 million units in day one of its release, following Spencer’s comments that it’s the largest launch in the brand’s history.
The Xbox One shifted this same number when it launched, so while Microsoft hasn’t provided exact sales figures for the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, it has confirmed that it has outsold its predecessor.
Xbox’s Liz Hamren revealed other key pieces of information related to the Xbox Series X|S launch via Xbox Wire:
- More new consoles sold than any prior generation with Xbox Series S adding the highest percentage of new players for any Xbox console at launch
- More games played, 3,594 in total, spanning four generations, setting a record for the most games ever played during an Xbox console launch
- Next-gen means more ways to discover and play, 70 percent of Series X|S consoles are attached to new and existing Xbox Game Pass members.
It’s unclear just how much the Xbox Series X|S has outsold its predecessors by, though early indications are positive. The console sold out in most regions, including Japan, where the Xbox brand has notoriously struggled compared to Sony’s PlayStation and Nintendo’s consoles. It’s unknown how many units were available in the region, though retailers such as Amazon Japan, Yodabashi, and Softmap had all sold out of their Xbox units almost as soon as they were placed on sale.
Strong pre-order sales and Spencer’s own comments point to the Xbox Series X|S being a big success for Xbox. The Xbox 360 is Microsoft’s highest-selling console of all time with 84 million units sold globally, so it remains to be seen whether Microsoft can overtake this number in the current generation.
