Speaking to MCV, Microsoft EMEA VP Chris Lewis has proclaimed that Xbox 360's 9-million-plus European install base trumps PS3's recently projected 10-million-and-counting base. How is that possible, you ask? Simple. "We count installed base differently," Lewis explains. Of course!
In fact, Lewis takes the counting contention one step further. "We're confident we are actually around a million units ahead," he claims. While we're fairly certain both parties stick to the traditional "1, 2, 3" ... and so on convention, we suspect Lewis is arguing over just which "European" territories are at stake in this numbers game. SCEE pools its population from Europe, Australiasia and other territories outside of Japan, the rest of Asia and North America. Microsoft EMEA combines figures from Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Kinda hard to wage a console war when the opposing sides are scurrying about different maps. So then, stalemate?
Reader Comments (69)
Posted: Sep 3rd 2009 3:06PM Captain Planet Planeteer Power said
Yeah well, my dad can beat up your dad!
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Posted: Sep 3rd 2009 4:05PM The Commenter Formerly Known as said
Xbox: "Well it's a shouting match you want eh? Well game on Sony!! Aaa! Aaa!! Aaa I'm beating you!!!"
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Posted: Sep 3rd 2009 4:25PM Captain Planet Planeteer Power said
Playstation: So, Xbox, now you see that evil will always triumph because good is dumb.
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Posted: Sep 3rd 2009 3:07PM darkinchworm said
Well (my preferred console) obviously has sold more and is doing better because (dumbass logic)
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Posted: Sep 3rd 2009 3:38PM copa said
That sums it up. Nobody can possibly prove who is 'right' here. And it really doesn't matter which company is up a fractional number of consoles anyway.
So let's all tear each other a new asshole fighting over this one! If I see less than 200 comments and eight bans in this thread, you're all a bunch of pussies!
(I make an exemption for the ladies, because I'm classy. You will all be a bunch of penises.)
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So let's all tear each other a new asshole fighting over this one! If I see less than 200 comments and eight bans in this thread, you're all a bunch of pussies!
(I make an exemption for the ladies, because I'm classy. You will all be a bunch of penises.)
Posted: Sep 3rd 2009 9:14PM (Unverified) said
that's pretty much the best thing i've ever read on the internet about games... or the only thing (PWAHAHA)
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Posted: Sep 3rd 2009 3:33PM HighFiveJesus said
It also had a price disadvantage which makes it even more surprising. Another thing to notice is a lot of european releases have higher sales on PS3 (sometimes not by much more) unless its a shooter or a sports title.
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Posted: Sep 3rd 2009 3:59PM Ashitaka said
...and maybe it's because the Europeans like the PS3's games, the blu-ray player, the free wi-fi, the free online and the rechargable controllers.
And maybe it's because the Europeans don't like their 360s not having netflix and don't like being ripped off by Microsoft for playing online, for wi-fi, for a new hdd and for something as simple as a transfer kit.
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And maybe it's because the Europeans don't like their 360s not having netflix and don't like being ripped off by Microsoft for playing online, for wi-fi, for a new hdd and for something as simple as a transfer kit.
Posted: Sep 3rd 2009 4:25PM (Unverified) said
I'm European and for a long time I considered buying an xbox and I'm generally a Microsoft fanboy. (come on zune HD, come over to Europe).
But recently I went ahead and bought a PS3 over an Xbox.
It offers more value for the same money hardware-wise, has better exclusives in the pipeline, GoW3, Heavy Rain, The Last Guardian, Uncharted 2 from the top of my head.
The fact that the Xbox is so american centered does irk me a bit.
"We don't have blu-ray, but we have streaming HD from netflix which is even better." Some good that'll do me if Netflix isn't available here.
Anyway, go go PS3. (And to think that at one point I was just hoping it would fail horribly.)
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But recently I went ahead and bought a PS3 over an Xbox.
It offers more value for the same money hardware-wise, has better exclusives in the pipeline, GoW3, Heavy Rain, The Last Guardian, Uncharted 2 from the top of my head.
The fact that the Xbox is so american centered does irk me a bit.
"We don't have blu-ray, but we have streaming HD from netflix which is even better." Some good that'll do me if Netflix isn't available here.
Anyway, go go PS3. (And to think that at one point I was just hoping it would fail horribly.)
Posted: Sep 3rd 2009 5:41PM berzirk said
Mixed feelings. I agree that it's impressive because of the price and year lead, but at the same time, think of the epic market penetration they had with the PS2. That was pretty much Sonyland. I don't even know how many Xboxs sold in Europe, or haa haa-GameCubes, but in marketing it's understood that it's far easier to keep a customer you've acquired, than to acquire a new one, both in terms of cost, and efforts.
The fact the 360 has sold this well in Europe is rather impressive, even if it's behind, tied, or ahead.
And lastly, for Christsake, when did Europe start to mean "everywhere but North America?" I love hearing the two companies "define" Europe.
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The fact the 360 has sold this well in Europe is rather impressive, even if it's behind, tied, or ahead.
And lastly, for Christsake, when did Europe start to mean "everywhere but North America?" I love hearing the two companies "define" Europe.
Posted: Sep 3rd 2009 10:14PM (Unverified) said
@Case:
For what it's worth, I own an original xbox but no ps2 and like I said above, PS3 ftw. :p
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For what it's worth, I own an original xbox but no ps2 and like I said above, PS3 ftw. :p
Posted: Sep 3rd 2009 3:11PM (Unverified) said
Why doesn't an independent organisiation count them?
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Posted: Sep 3rd 2009 4:16PM Geist said
Because it's hard to count. Heck, these two are probably counting shipped units; otherwise, you need to go to every retailer and ask "How many of this did you sell? And of this?" and that's a royally useless pain in the butt.
Frankly, even if some third-party did do it, whoever they said was not ahead would have their fanboy legions screaming "OMG BIAASSDEDDDD!?!?!!!!"
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Frankly, even if some third-party did do it, whoever they said was not ahead would have their fanboy legions screaming "OMG BIAASSDEDDDD!?!?!!!!"
Posted: Sep 3rd 2009 3:24PM (Unverified) said
If there's anything I can't stand, it's a smart owl.
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Posted: Sep 3rd 2009 3:13PM falcomadol said
EMEA is the standard used by other major companies (Philips for example).
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Posted: Sep 3rd 2009 3:15PM MonkeyMan322 said
I love how joystiq on a very regular basis says "fanboy's go forth and flame!!!!"
well i guess its one way to generate ad revenue... Go joystiq!!!!
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well i guess its one way to generate ad revenue... Go joystiq!!!!
Posted: Sep 3rd 2009 3:14PM (Unverified) said
130 comments at least.
20% of them will be smart well informed comments and the other 80% will be stupid fanboy comments.
BEGIN!!
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20% of them will be smart well informed comments and the other 80% will be stupid fanboy comments.
BEGIN!!
Posted: Sep 3rd 2009 3:32PM sonicspike41 said
Do posts like the one you made count towards the "smart well informed" or towards the other side? Should we add a third option for "Neutral comments that don't really tip the scales either way"?
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Posted: Sep 3rd 2009 3:40PM (Unverified) said
@sonicspike41
Neutral comment.
I'm just here for the show.
Reply
Neutral comment.
I'm just here for the show.
Posted: Sep 3rd 2009 3:14PM falcomadol said
Agreed, if you can't settle it beyond a reasonable doubt on the shelves, it's time to get in the ring, motherf'er.
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Posted: Sep 3rd 2009 3:17PM atrimus said
i'll just take his statement as him merely pointing out (what he believes to be) factual information sans boasting, since the 360 had a 1.5 years headstart in all non-US/Japan territories.
as far as any leads, i mostly feel indifferent about it all. both systems have (for the most part) given me everything i ever wanted in games.
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as far as any leads, i mostly feel indifferent about it all. both systems have (for the most part) given me everything i ever wanted in games.
Posted: Sep 3rd 2009 3:17PM (Unverified) said
Lol I know right!
You would think the way things are in Europe that both companies would try just a little bit harder to gain more support.
Instead the whole region gets shafted time and time again. By both Microsoft and sony.
I feel for my cousins in England.
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You would think the way things are in Europe that both companies would try just a little bit harder to gain more support.
Instead the whole region gets shafted time and time again. By both Microsoft and sony.
I feel for my cousins in England.
Posted: Sep 3rd 2009 3:53PM (Unverified) said
I hate that owl
It can't bite into after three licks and proclaim it to be three because it was to lazy to find out the real answer. You hear me Mr. Owl? Stop gallivanting about as some wise creature.
Reply
It can't bite into after three licks and proclaim it to be three because it was to lazy to find out the real answer. You hear me Mr. Owl? Stop gallivanting about as some wise creature.
Posted: Sep 3rd 2009 4:15PM cbarrentos said
that owl made his debut appearance in the 1960s. he was probably high.
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Posted: Sep 3rd 2009 3:23PM Mr Khan said
I'd hazard a guess that sales are negligible if considering nations other than Australia, New Zealand, and the NATO countries of Europe (plus a few others close to NATO in capabilities, like Switzerland and Sweden)
Though it wouldn't be prudent to underestimate the growth markets: the BRIC nations, Eastern Europe, and South Africa, so i don't know. Just shows how close the two of them are in that big ol' place we like to call "Earth that isn't Japan or English-speaking Americas"
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Though it wouldn't be prudent to underestimate the growth markets: the BRIC nations, Eastern Europe, and South Africa, so i don't know. Just shows how close the two of them are in that big ol' place we like to call "Earth that isn't Japan or English-speaking Americas"
Posted: Sep 3rd 2009 3:29PM ComicShaman said
You know, if you'd ever read "Hogwarts -- A History," you would know that the magical field around the castle causes all X360s to instantly RROD, all PS3s to have a catastrophic disc reader failure, and all duct tape to spontaneously fly off a Wii.
Reply
Posted: Sep 3rd 2009 3:25PM Bailers77 said
I always wonder about the XBox install base if the numbers are correct. How many units are replacements or second units for back-up in case of RROD?
And so I'm not accused of being a fanboy, how many PS3 sales are second units or replacements for YLOD?
I know there is no practical way of measuring this, but I've always wondered how much ahead the Xbox truely is in terms of actual households.
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And so I'm not accused of being a fanboy, how many PS3 sales are second units or replacements for YLOD?
I know there is no practical way of measuring this, but I've always wondered how much ahead the Xbox truely is in terms of actual households.
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