No. 1 U.S. Console Streak Continues for Xbox 360 with Biggest October Ever

Xbox 360 turned in the most successful October on record, maintaining its lead in the current-generation console market for 16 out of the last 17 months.

October 2011 highlights from The NPD Group, an independent market research firm that tracks the digital entertainment industry, include:

· Holding 44 percent share of the overall current-generation console market, Xbox 360 sold 393,000 units in October, maintaining the number-one console spot in the U.S. for 2011. This marks the eighth consecutive month Xbox 360 had more than 40 percent of the current-generation console market share.

· Xbox 360 unit sales grew 21 percent year over year in October, and it was the only current-generation console showing double-digit growth.

· Total retail spend on the Xbox 360 platform in October (hardware, software and accessories) reached $490 million, the most for any console in the U.S.

· During the month of October, Xbox 360 held six of the top 10 console game titles including: “Battlefield 3,” “Batman: Arkham City,” “NBA 2K12,” “Rage,” and Xbox 360 exclusives “Forza Motorsport 4” and “Gears of War 3.”

The Kinect for Xbox 360 continues its momentum with a growing portfolio of more than 75 new Kinect for Xbox 360 titles in the market by holiday – four times more than last holiday.

New titles include sequels to best sellers such as “Kinect Sports: Season Two” and “Dance Central 2.” In addition, new games like “Kinect Disneyland Adventures” will add to the Xbox 360’s large library of family friendly content – more than 90 percent of Kinect titles are rated Everyone or Teen.

Some of the biggest excusive blockbuster games this holiday rolled out on the Xbox 360, including “Gears of War 3,” “Forza Motorsport 4” and “Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary.”

In addition to games, Microsoft will roll out the next generation of TV entertainment on Xbox LIVE this holiday, bringing a breadth of content providers and innovative user experiences to Xbox 360.

With nearly 40 world-leading TV and entertainment providers – including Comcast, HBO GO, BBC, Bravo and Televisa – the Xbox 360 will take a major step toward realizing its vision of bringing all the entertainment you want, shared with the people you care about, made easy.

Posted by Jeff Meisner
Editor, The Official Microsoft Blog

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