Microsoft says that the sales of the Xbox 360 have risen by 214% in the two weeks since prices went down. According to the company, it means that the console is now posting numbers which double those of the PlayStation 3. The numbers are provided by Microsoft and have not been independently confirmed.

Chris Lewis, who is a vice president of the Interactive Entertainment Business division of Microsoft, says that “This data shows that the Xbox 360 trajectory continues upwards, and not just in the UK” as the console has “seen uplift in all countries in Europe”.

In the period between August 2007 and August 2008, the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3 managed to sell around one million units each in Europe. The Microsoft made console was launched earlier than Sony’s device, so the Xbox 360 still has a 0.9 million unit advantage in overall sales.

Microsoft has taken a few steps lately that are designed to make the console more attractive to customers, especially those who prefer casual gaming. The Xbox 360 Arcade, which has no hard drive, is not priced below its direct competitor, the Nintendo Wii, while the Xbox Live service, which is at the center of the Xbox experience, is set to receive a revamp, most probably in November. Microsoft is also set to launch a powerful publicity campaign to promote its console as the Christmas shopping period approaches, when Microsoft hopes that the Xbox 360 will be the best sold console.

The evolution of the console on the Japanese market, where prices have also gone down recently, saw a sharp increase in sales early on, followed by a drop as interest quickly returned to normal levels. The Nintendo Wii is currently selling better than the Xbox 360.