Skip to main content

Xbox One sales figures are shockingly low, less than half of the PS4

Image used with permission by copyright holder

It’s been clear for years that the PlayStation 4 is outpacing the Xbox One in sales. What wasn’t clear, however, was by how much. Due to an inadvertent admission by EA CEO Andrew Wilson on an earnings call, we now know that the Xbox One has sold less than half the number of consoles as the PS4 despite the two consoles releasing within a week of one another in 2013. Microsoft moved roughly 30 million Xbox Ones by the end of 2017, while Sony crossed the 73 million mark at the same time (via Variety).

In the midst of discussing EA’s projections for its current fiscal year, Wilson offered console sales figures. “Turning to our expectations for fiscal 2019, we expect sales of current generation consoles from Microsoft and Sony to continue to be strong, with the installed base growing to 130 million consoles by the end of calendar 2018 from 103 million at the end of calendar 2017,” he said.

Recommended Videos

A little math is required to figure out the breakdown, but the 103 million combined sales leads to a clear answer. Sony released sales figures at the end of 2017, revealing that the PS4 had eclipsed the 73 million mark. That leaves the Xbox One with roughly 30 million in sales to its name.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

Microsoft stopped releasing Xbox One sales figures about four years ago, probably because of its positioning in comparison to the PS4. This means that the Xbox One, on average, has sold less than eight million units per year since launch, while the PS4 has sold more than 18 million per year.

While it’s abundantly clear that the Xbox One will never catch up to the PS4, it may well find itself behind yet another competitor before long: Nintendo Switch. The Switch sold ten million units in its first nine months on the market, and surpassed its predecessor, the Wii U, before turning one year old with close to 15 million sales.

Wilson projected the Switch to hit the 30 million mark by the end of year, which would put it in striking distance of the Xbox One going into 2019. If the current trajectories hold, the Switch will be poised to pass the Xbox One next year, despite the Xbox One having more than three years of lead time.

Steven Petite
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Steven is a writer from Northeast Ohio currently based in Louisiana. He writes about video games and books, and consumes…
PlayStation has quietly doubled the price of Horizon Zero Dawn on PS4
Aloy aiming an arrow into the wilderness at a robot.

Following the announcement of Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered for the PlayStation 5 and PC, PlayStation has raised the price of the original game's PlayStation 4 Complete Edition by $20 on the PlayStation Store.

As that edition of the game had been retailing for $20 for a couple of years now, that means PlayStation has doubled the price without warning.

Read more
Is Stardew Valley cross-platform?
Stardew Valley Multiplayer Fishing

Stardew Valley is a game made by just one person, but it has seen more success than most games made by dozens, or even hundreds, of people. It's even one of Digital Trends' top 50 video games of all time. Since its release in 2016, it's been updated regularly with new features and content to keep its avid fans coming back. As of the Stardew Valley 1.6 update additions, this includes an online multiplayer component that allows you and up to three friends to hang out on each other's farms.

Of course, many players are still wondering when Stardew Valley 1.6 is coming to consoles. And with the recent trend of games allowing players on different platforms to join together, you may wonder if Stardew Valley is a cross-platform game like Minecraft or Terraria. Here's everything we know about cross-platform support in Stardew Valley.
Is Stardew Valley cross-platform?

Read more
Is Minecraft cross-platform?
The cover art for Minecraft.

Minecraft has long reigned as one of the most popular games available thanks to its nearly endless possibilities, regular updates, and charming vibes. If you're one of the millions of players who have invested thousands of hours into the game, or are still learning the basic tips and tricks, you've almost certainly been rewarded with limitless excitement exploring all the biomes, enchanting weapons, and messing with the best mods. But what about co-op?

Playing with friends on a shared server is one of the greatest ways to experience Minecraft, just like it is for Terraria or GTA V. But in today's gaming landscape, there is a wide variety of platforms on which people play the game, which may lead you to wonder if this is a cross-platform game. Below, we'll tell you what you need to know about cross-platform play in Minecraft.
Is Minecraft cross-platform?
The short answer is yes, Minecraft is cross-platform across PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch, PC, iOS, and Android. However, there are a few limitations we'll get into below.

Read more