- The Xbox Series S|X reportedly sold 12+ million units during the first 18 months of their lifecycle.
- Console sales have taken a nosedive since then, so this figure accounts for roughly half of the lifetime numbers.
- In comparison, the PS5 sold 25 million units in a similar time.
The Xbox Series S|X have been Microsoft’s worst performing consoles so far. Perception among gamers and critics aside, the two consoles have shown less than spectacular sales figures since their debut.
However, this was not always the case. The two consoles initially performed quite well, only to lose momentum during the middle portion of their lifespan. A new discovery even highlights the fact that the Xbox Series S|X sold around 12+ million units within the first two years.
Why it matters: At the beginning of the generation, the Xbox Series S|X showed potential as PlayStation competitors. Many believed this generation would mark a return to form for the Xbox console brand.
Mark Stanley, the former Vice President of Global Expansion, Hardware, & Studios Integration, writes that the Xbox Series S|X sold more than 12 million units during the first 18 months across 40+ countries.
The data suggests that the Xbox Series S|X had a running start in 2020 and couldn’t sustain this momentum. The initial sales are also impressive since they were likely held back by scalping and shortages to some extent.
This is interesting since the latest estimates put the two consoles at under 30 million sales in total. In 2024, Take-Two estimated that the two consoles had totalled 27 million units sold.
Later, it was said that Microsoft sold just 1 million consoles throughout 2025. The dwindling sales highlight a greater trend within the Xbox hardware department, which has suffered major losses recently.
Despite the encouraging figures, Microsoft was still lagging behind the PS5 at the time. For a rough comparison, Sony announced that its console had sold 25 million units by September 2022.
Since then, the gap between the PS5 and Xbox Series S|X has only grown wider, owing to Microsoft’s new strategy of focusing on gaming across all platforms.
What do you think about these numbers? Share your opinions and thoughts in the comments and on the Tech4Gamers Forums.
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[Senior News Reporter]
Avinash is currently pursuing a Business degree in Australia. For more than 5 years, he has been working as a gaming journalist, utilizing his writing skills and love for gaming to report on the latest updates in the industry. Avinash loves to play action games like Devil May Cry and has also been mentioned on highly regarded websites, such as IGN, GamesRadar, GameRant, Dualshockers, CBR, and Gamespot.
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