It’s common knowledge that the Xbox Series X and Series S have not been met with overwhelming success. The reasons behind this are complex, and the situation only appears to be deteriorating. European sales of the Xbox have dropped by more than 25% since last year, while PS5 sales have nearly quadrupled.
Xbox Series X|S Sales Decline in Europe, PS5 Surges
According to a report by Metro, Xbox’s sales in the European market have decreased by 27% over the past year, while PS5 sales have seen a 376% increase. It’s important to note that these figures do not include Germany or the UK, with the latter accounting for the majority of Xbox’s sales in Europe. Even so, the Series X is still in third place in the UK, trailing behind the PS5 and the aging Nintendo Switch.
Additionally, it is worth mentioning that the PS5 has benefited from Sony prioritizing restocking in the EU instead of focusing solely on the US market, as was the case last year. This may partially explain the 20% decrease in PS5 sales in the US, although Xbox and Switch also experienced similar declines. Nevertheless, it is safe to say that the new Xbox consoles have failed to capture significant interest in Europe.
Historically, Microsoft’s consoles have never been the top-selling units in any generation. While the original Xbox outsold the GameCube and the 360 posed a serious challenge to the PS3, Xbox One sales fell short. The console released in 2013 sold approximately 58 million units, compared to the PS4’s 117.2 million. As of now, Microsoft has sold an estimated 21 million Series X and Series S consoles, in contrast to the PS5’s 46 million. Although there is still time for a change in fortunes, the likelihood of this happening appears to be diminishing, particularly with the anticipated release of the PS5 Pro next year.