MicroSoft: 360 first to reach 10 million in US

Microsoft has apparently attached a special significance to the number 10 million. Five months before the Xbox 360 launched in November 2005, the company's head of the gaming business Peter Moore publicly stated that the console would sell 10 million units before the end of 2006. Just days into 2007, Microsoft used its CES keynote to announce that it had met that goal. Before and since, the company has publicly announced passing such milestones as 10 million Xbox Live members reached and 10 million pieces of content downloaded from the system's Marketplace storefront.

Today Microsoft added another public proclamation to the stack, saying that the Xbox 360's US installed user base has reached beyond the 10 million mark. The company added that the 360 is the first current-generation console to do so, and stressed the importance of that. "History has shown us that the first company to reach 10 million in console sales wins the generation battle," said Don Mattrick, the current head of Microsoft's gaming business, in a statement. "We are uniquely positioned to set a new benchmark for the industry."

Worldwide, Microsoft said that the Xbox 360 is up to 19 million systems sold, which it initially claimed was "more than any other current-generation console." After being directed to Nintendo's latest financial results, in which the hardware maker revealed that it had sold more than 24 million Wiis to date, a Microsoft representative recanted the initial statement.

Source : http://www.gamespot.com

Microsoft: Xbox 360 captures 60 % of GTAIV sales

Following the launch of Take-Two and Rockstar Games' critically lauded Grand Theft Auto IV on April 29, the question on many industry watchers' minds was just how well the heavily anticipated game performed and whether it lived up to its heady expectations. Take-Two kept the stats-hungry mob on edge a full week after, saying just yesterday that the game nailed its reported 6 million sales prediction, generating $500 million in week-one revenue.

While Take-Two kept the industry waiting, Sony, which sponsored a portion of the advertising spots for the game, chimed in a full week prior to extol the game's as-yet-unconfirmed performance. In a congratulatory statement bereft of any hard details, the PlayStation maker said GTAIV "drove sales of the PlayStation 3 entertainment system within the first 24 hours," and not much else.

It now appears that the reason for Sony's ambiguity was that the majority of consumers opted to pick up GTAIV on Microsoft's console. Today on Microsoft's marketing-team-operated GamerScoreBlog, the publisher dished on the stats breakdown for the 6 million copies of the game sold in its first week at market.

"According to retailers, more than 60 percent of all GTA games sold in the first week were the Xbox 360 version," the publisher's marketing team wrote on its blog. Sony had not responded to queries for comment on this claim as of press time. According to the hardware maker's most recent numbers, the Xbox 360's global installed base stands at 19 million, with the PlayStation 3 trailing at 13 million.
Source : http://www.gamespot.com/

Films to hit iTunes with releases on DVDs

Apple said Thursday it has deals with Hollywood studios to make popular films available for its iPods and iPhones via its iTunes online store as soon as the movies are released on DVDs.

Films available in the United States from iTunes this week due to the deals include Academy Award winners "Juno" and "There Will Be Blood." "We're thrilled to bring iTunes store customers new films for purchase day-and-date with the DVD release," said iTunes vice president Eddy Cue.

"We think movie fans will love being able to buy their favorites from major and independent studios." The roster of studios signed on with iTunes includes 20th Century Fox, Walt Disney, Warner Brothers, Paramount Pictures, Universal Studios Home Entertainment, and Sony Pictures Entertainment, according to Apple.

Movies downloaded from iTunes can be viewed on iPhones, video-capable iPods, personal computers, and televisions linked to Apple TV devices. New releases will cost 14.99 dollars to download and 9.99 dollars will be charged for older titles offered in the iTunes catalog, Apple said. ITunes rents newly released films for 3.99 dollars. The freshly-added iTunes feature competes with similar offerings from major US movie rental chain Blockbuster and Internet firm CinemaNow.