Microsoft has sold around 600,000 units of Xbox 360

Microsoft has sold around 600,000 units of Xbox 360

As per the latest statistics revealed by research group NPD Group, software giants Microsoft has sold just around 600,000 units of their next generation gaming console Xbox 360 since its launch in November last year. Of course, these figures are just for the US market. Microsoft has launched the console globally in some of the biggest markets including European countries and Japan.

The company has however suffered due to initially shortage of supplies, which resulted in a boom for the resellers on online stores like eBay. Market experts also believe that this shortage resulted in a drop in sales of videogame content last year. Another research report released recently claimed that if it were not for the portable gaming machines like Sony PSP and Nintendo DS, the gaming market would have seen a decline in 2005 compared to 2004.

Microsoft is still sticking to their target of selling between 4.5 million and 5.5 million Xbox 360 consoles during the current business year, which ends in June this year. However, they have not commented on this report from NPD Group, which has hinted that it might be difficult for them to achieve their sales target. Xbox 360 has been a disappointment in the Japanese market and the company would be aiming to recover from sales in other markets around the world.

The task would become even more complicated for the company after Sony and Nintendo comes out with their own next generation gaming consoles sometime this year. Sony is destined to launch their Playstation 3 and Nintendo would be coming out with their Nintendo Revolution sometime later this year.