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Xbox Live Users Climb 30 Percent During Holiday Quarter
Microsoft isn’t reporting how many Xbox consoles its shipped to retail anymore. In its place, we have new statistics about revenue and engagement to help paint the picture.
The platform holder says that revenue tied to its games business increased nine percent when factored for constant currency. Xbox Live usership increased 30 percent year-over-year, with active users now at 48 million (inclusive of paid subscribers and those who use services for free).
That number is up from 39 million last quarter. Microsoft defines active users as those that have logged in within the past month.
Revenue attributable only to software jumped by 57 percent accounting for constant currency. Microsoft pins success on Halo 5 and Minecraft.
[Source: Microsoft]
Our Take
As you can see, it’s extremely difficult to gauge Microsoft’s install base for Xbox One using these figures. It’s good news that revenue is up overall, with big jumps in software. But this new approach to reporting doesn’t give us a great sense of momentum, nor does it allow us to understand how Xbox One fits within the larger ecosystem. And that’s probably the point.
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