Microsoft Reports "Largest Xbox Launch Ever", But Still Won't Disclose Sales Numbers

Xbox Series X and Series S both launched this week, with the new generation officially kicking off for the Seattle-based firm.

Head of Xbox Phil Spencer tweeted "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."

Despite this, however, Spencer revealed that the company is not planning to report on sales figures for the two consoles.

Read More: Xbox Series X Review: Is This Microsoft's Best Console Ever?

Microsoft Reports "Largest Xbox Launch Ever", But Still Won't Disclose Sales Numbers

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

In an interview with the Guardian, Spencer noted that the company is more focused on the number of players, as opposed to the number of consoles sold.

“In the last year we’ve had Google and Amazon and now Facebook announcing they’re coming into our gaming space. I’m not gonna go compete with their numbers based on how many Xbox Series X I’ve sold,” he said.

“[Google] is never gonna talk about how many Chromecast Pros they sold. They’re gonna talk about how many players they have.”

Microsoft stopped reporting sales figures in the last console generation, with many assuming it was due to conceding the lead to Sony's more popular PlayStation 4 – something Spencer is aware of.

“I think the people who want to pit us against Sony based on who sold the most consoles lose the context of what gaming is about today," he explained.

“There are 3 billion people who play games on the planet today, but maybe [only] 200 million households that have a video game console. In a way, the console space is becoming a smaller and smaller percentage of the overall gaming pie.”

In fairness, Spencer's vision for Xbox as a service of sorts is undoubtedly backed up by his actions.

Between Game Pass running on Android, PC, and consoles, as well as the option to play many Series S and X titles on last-gen hardware, it's clear that player engagement is key for the company.