Phil Explains Why Console Sold Numbers Are Not Important To Release

He said during a briefing attending by GameSpot that people ask him if Microsoft's decision to no longer share Xbox One sales numbers is a result of not wanting to make a comparison against the hugely successful PlayStation 4.

"The answer is no," Spencer said.

Monthly active users means the number of people who logged into Xbox Live in the past 30 days and it counts not only Xbox One, but also Xbox 360 and PC. For Microsoft's latest quarter, it had 48 million monthly active users.

Spencer went on to say that Microsoft, in holding back Xbox One sales numbers, is not trying to hide anything. In fact, the executive said it is riskier to divulge Xbox Live figures, as these can go down on a quarter-to-quarter basis, while console shipment numbers can only increase.

"If I sold a console two years ago and now it's in a closet collecting dust, that's not good for the gamer, that's not good for the developers, and frankly, it's not good for Microsoft," Spencer said. "The nice thing about us selling consoles is your console install base will always go up. But that's not really a reflection of how healthy your ecosystem is. We focus on the monthly active user base because we know those are gamers making a conscious choice to pick our content, our games, our platform, our service. We want to gauge our success on how happy and engaged those customers are. We need to keep them happy."

He added that things like Xbox Live issues (which Microsoft faced recently) and stretches of time with no major new releases can negatively impact monthly active user numbers.

http://www.gamespot.com/articles/why-microsoft-doesnt-share-xbox-one-sales-numbers/1100-6435219/

I just wonder why we the gaming public can't get both sets of numbers. I know what Phil is saying is horse crap, but you have to give him an "A" for spin.

Translation: Sales don't matter when you're getting your ass kicked.

Really........??lololololololololol

Yes, he would be better off not addressing this issue rather than blowing smoke.

Yep, there is a degree of truth to what he said about the ecosystem of their machine, but that's just good bullshitting. Good bullshit should have a hint of truth, it's quality heel work.

I mean, at least they know they're losing. If Phil wants to focus on user base so be it, but he needs to make sure that current user base stays happy.

That translation was perfect.

so it is

and BINGO was his name-o.

OH

Yeah, I'm sure he would be echoing those same sentiments if Microsoft wasn't getting the shit smacked out of them this gen.

Man, that's some great spin lol

They've gone all hands on deck 100% PC game support to salvage the xbox brand and have givin up trying to associate the xbox one console as the identity of the "xbox band" that's why they say the sales of the platform no longer matter to them.

It's damage control, yet it's still the truth.

I bet if they were at 39 million, and PS4 was at 19-20 million, they'd be releasing sales numbers. A+ for the spin though.

Unless you're Nintendo.

Journalist should be asking Satya Nadella this not Phil.

dat spin :p

Just straight up damage control. I like Phil Spencer, but to say that sold numbers aren't as important is a bunch of BS.

I'm sure most of the 12.5 million Wii U owners are very active on the console, but that still doesn't change the fact that the Wii U has only sold 12.5 million units 3+ yrs in.

Sad damage control. Only idiots will take what he's saying seriously. If sales numbers don't matter how come MS couldn't stop singing them when they were doing good with the 360? Now that they are getting their asses kicked it no longer matters.

Yeah, but that would leave Phil in a strange place when everyone learns that he is just a mouthpiece and not some great savior.

A glorified Major Nelson.

@quadknight: @NathanDrakeSwag: "Translation: Sales don't matter when you're getting your ass kicked."

Yea I bet he would like that one back.

@aigis said:

@NathanDrakeSwag said:

Translation: Sales don't matter when you're getting your ass kicked.

so it is

Can I use this as my sig?

@aigis said:

@NathanDrakeSwag said:

Translation: Sales don't matter when you're getting your ass kicked.

so it is

lol I wish you'd photoshopped "MS PR" over the language tabs.

@quadknight: Exactly, Sony did the same thing when they stopped talking about NPD and merging PS2 and PS3 numbers last gen and are now trying not to laugh too hard while showing off their sales this gen. As soon as MS has a good run you know that all of a sudden they'll be rolling those numbers again. Big business is always gonna PR everything.

@aigis said:

@NathanDrakeSwag said:

Translation: Sales don't matter when you're getting your ass kicked.

so it is

Google Translation is a powerful tool.

Sure! what ever Philly boy! We all know the real reason why.... I don't think the most hardcore Lem can defend you on this spin lol

This is why I don't trust with his "I don't hate PlayStation - peace and love" PR bullshit.

Stuff like this.

That's classic.

What do people here get out of sales numbers, anyway?

@jun_aka_pekto: The possibility of having more games on a system. Sales matter, people who say it doesn't are very misinformed, don't believe it, look at the WiiU.

It's PR shit in the same way as we've sold x amount of consoles is PR shit. It's irrelevant to all but the opposite faction's fanboys.

I can understand their thinking though, especially when a large chunk of MS's gaming income comes from Xbox Live subscriptions.

Well giving the fact that everyone hasn't forgiving MS Xbox One DRM fiasco BS, they don't wanna admit it but MS totally screw up big time with Xbox One and the high price over a weak console vs PS4 was doom from the start. Sorry but $500 at launch was just way too high for a gaming console. This is also another proof that MS isn't gonna bother next-gen console.

Much like what Sony did last gen? And when cows spew out that sales don't matter? The hypocrisy with cows.

Hahahaa...

So we arrive at the point were Phil Spencer stopped being coherent and start being full of sh**..

So after using NPD and bragging about 360 sales numbers all of the sudden sales don't matter all it matter is live users which are free on PC and on xbox 360 account for silver as well,i wonder is sony did that and bring PS3,PS VIta and PS4 numbers to what that would amount...lol

Also like the spin about collecting dust when the PS4 sells more games than the xbox one constantly world wide.

The only difference is that sony never stopped talking about total in units,they hide quarter shipments with PS2,but PS3 number 60,70,80 those were never hidden,MS is not even talking about those,MS started joining 360 and xbox one numbers then quickly stopped all numbers at all.

Sony didn't go that far.

Also, Sony got the eye the tiger and fought back hard.

Sony never hid total sales numbers,what they merge was PS3 and PS2 quarter shipments.

http://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/sony-playstation-3-sales-hit-50-million-worldwide/

http://www.playstationlifestyle.net/2012/11/16/ps3-worldwide-sales-have-reached-70-million-15-million-move-controllers-sold/

http://us.playstation.com/corporate/about/press-release/playstation-3-sales-reach-80-million-units-worldwide.html

No sony didn't do that last gen as you can see what Sony did was merge sales in quarter reports both MS and sony since last gen stopped talking about NPD numbers,but it was quarter shipment what sony joined and what MS joined this gen with the 360 and xbox one,but what MS did is take that one step further and stop release cumulative shipment the last know numbers are 10 millions shipped.

Even executives gots to damage control. I bet he would be tooting a different horn if they werent getting their asses kicked

Well, Nintendo is not ashamed by poor Wii U numbers. They constantly announce numbers in every Q report.

LOL hell of a spin whether it has truth to it or not.

fixed

@Zero_epyon: If you want to XD

@aigis said:

@misterpmedia said:

@aigis said:

@NathanDrakeSwag said:

Translation: Sales don't matter when you're getting your ass kicked.

so it is

lol I wish you'd photoshopped "MS PR" over the language tabs.

fixed

LOL 'MS PR - detected'

Love it.

@aigis said:

@NathanDrakeSwag said:

Translation: Sales don't matter when you're getting your ass kicked.

so it is

That's hilarious XD

I never got into these Sales wars or pixel counter BS. Was it that big of a deal last gen? I dont member seeing so much til last couple years.

That said MS could do both release sales and active users. Its just a smoke screen. And they actually making big $$.