However, newly public figures from the USA, which appeared in a feature on Yahoo Finance late last week, show that globally, the picture is not so rosy for Microsoft – with the company even losing ground to Nintendo in its home market of the USA.
The figures, which originated from highly respected data reporting firm DFC Intelligence, show the GameCube installed base at 2.7 million in the USA, leading the Xbox by 500,000 units. As ever, the PlayStation 2 is significantly ahead of both consoles, with an installed base of 11.2 million.
The UK figure also belies a bleaker picture across all of Europe for Microsoft, with the Xbox still thought to be lagging around 20 per cent behind the GameCube in total shipments. Microsoft will no doubt be hoping that a comparatively strong software line-up for Christmas, combined with the launch of the console’s unique selling point – Xbox Live – will help to drive sales over the coming months, realising Xbox Europe boss Sandy Duncan’s dream of an Xbox Green Christmas and repeating the success of the UK in other European territories.
Source: Gamesindustry.biz
