The extensive Xbox document breach has unveiled a plethora of tantalizing details regarding Microsoft’s gaming strategies and other pertinent information, including a comprehensive breakdown of Series X and Series S sales. Surprisingly, Microsoft’s forecast that the more affordable and less powerful Series S would outperform its counterpart has proven to be accurate.
According to reports from IGN, one of the leaked documents indicates that Series S accounted for 74.8% of sales, while Series X comprised 25.1%, at least during the initial stages of the platform’s existence. Although this data is current as of early 2022, it appears that the distribution has undergone significant changes since then. Circana analyst Mat Piscatella confirmed on Twitter that Series S now constitutes “slightly more than half” of all new Xbox console sales in the United States.
The Series S managed to establish a substantial lead over the Series X, primarily due to the limited availability of the latter during its early lifecycle. Price also played a pivotal role in this disparity.
Priced at $300, the Series S offers an enticing value proposition, making it unsurprising that it has outperformed the $500 Series X. Additionally, a $350 variant of the Series S equipped with a 1TB hard drive is now available.
In 2021, Microsoft’s Phil Spencer expressed his belief to Kotaku that the Series S would outsell the Series X, partly due to its more affordable price point. He stated, “I think, over the generation, our expectation would be that price really matters and that you would see the Series S sell more.”
According to the leaked documents, Microsoft is purportedly planning to release additional Xbox consoles, including a mid-generation refresh and a new Xbox in 2028. However, it is important to note that these documents are over a year old, and Microsoft has stated that “so much has changed,” although this statement may be an attempt at damage control.
In response to the leaks, Spencer asserted, “We will share the genuine plans when we are prepared.”
For further details on the leaks, please refer to GameSpot’s comprehensive overview of Xbox’s potential future endeavors.
