14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft sees the recently launched NPD Group results for the month of May on the North American market as a sign that it is winning the console battle with the PlayStation 3 from Sony and that it's still the preferred platform for blockbusters like Red Dead Redemption, which managed to claim the top spot in the video game chart.
A statement from Microsoft that followed the release of the NPD numbers pointed out that it Xbox 360 “continues to outsell the PlayStation 3 at retail for the fifth consecutive year and every single month of 2010.”
Despite the fact that May was the month the NPD figures talked about, the software giant continued by pointing out that “Strong demand for the new Xbox 360 250GB combined with a $50 price reduction in the U.S. on the Xbox 360 Arcade and Elite consoles, now US$149.99 and US$249.99 respectively, has resulted in a significant sales spike for Xbox 360 since the new console hit shelves on or around June 14.” The claims are made using internal data from the company itself.
As always, Microsoft is not talking about the fact that the Nintendo Wii is continuing to sell close to double in North America and about the reduction in the value of sold consoles, which presumably limits the revenue the former derives from its hardware business.
The Xbox 360 managed to improve its sales figures for May 2010 when compared to 2009, 194,600 units to 175,000. On November 4, the software giant will be launching Kinect, formerly known as Project Natal, a motion tracking system supposed to make its home console a clear alternative to the Nintendo Wii. The device is rumored to be priced around 150 dollars and will be outed with a host of games designed with a casual audience in mind.