Xbox One Closes a Record-Breaking Holiday and Looks Ahead to 2015

The past year was a fantastic one for the video game industry – and Xbox One ended 2014 with an unprecedented holiday season, becoming the best-selling console in the U.S. in November and December.* In fact, weekly average sales during these months outpaced Xbox 360 by 50 percent at the same point in its lifecycle.

We are extremely grateful to our legion of loyal Xbox fans for their support.  And to kick off 2015, we’ve got a new offer for those looking forward to picking up an Xbox One for themselves.

“Building off a record-setting holiday, we are excited to announce a new promotion in which fans in the U.S. can buy an Xbox One at a special price of $349, starting tomorrow, January 16, from their preferred retailer,” said Mike Nichols, Corporate Vice President of Marketing for Xbox. “We are thankful for all the excitement for Xbox One this holiday and proud to offer more fans the amazing games lineup, Xbox Live gaming community, and continual innovation that Xbox One fans have come to enjoy.”

Thanks to a strong, diverse portfolio of titles, Xbox One sold more games throughout November and December in the U.S. than any other current-generation platform*, with Xbox-exclusive titles receiving eight Game of the Year Awards and 67 nominations from the media. Also this holiday, Xbox 360 became the best-selling seventh generation console of all time in the U.S.* On the strength of Xbox One, Xbox 360, and a strong games lineup, fans spent more time playing Xbox this holiday than ever before.

Looking ahead, we’ve only just begun to share our 2015 lineup. The fan reaction to the Halo 5: Guardians Multiplayer Beta has been amazing, with 18 million games having been played to date, while our recent announcement of Forza Motorsport 6 is further proof that Xbox One remains home to stellar exclusive games. Exciting exclusives and blockbuster titles like Rise of the Tomb Raider, Evolve, Screamride, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Ori and the Blind Forest, Battlefield Hardline, and many more surprises ensure we’ll have something for everyone in 2015.

As always, we’ll also continue to bring top-notch app experiences like the recently announced Sling TV and new apps launched on Xbox One in 2014 such as HBO GO, Showtime Anytime, Pandora, ReddX, GoPro, and Twitch broadcasting to build on the growing list of popular entertainment experiences that are open to anyone, with or without an Xbox Live Gold membership. In 2014, users logged nearly 8 billion hours globally in apps across Xbox 360 and Xbox One, a 50 percent increase from time spent in 2013.

We’ll also continue to improve the Xbox One experience through regular system updates and we’re continuing to listen to fan feedback to implement the changes fans want to see most.

“Since it launched last year, Xbox Feedback has been instrumental in helping us best determine what our fans want and expect from us, and it’s clear that the Xbox One wouldn’t be what it is today without their valued input,” said Phil Spencer, Head of Xbox. “We’re incredibly proud of the Xbox One and are fully committed to ensuring it’s the best place to play console games in 2015 and beyond.”

And the Xbox experience isn’t limited just to the console. The Xbox team is continually working hard to expand and improve the experience across myriad devices – including home gaming PCs, soon to be powered by Windows 10. Our goal is to help PC gaming flourish, and we’re excited to be helping shape the future of Windows. Phil Spencer will be sharing more on the Windows consumer experience at a Windows event on January 21, including the role that gaming will play.

2015 is going to be an amazing year for gamers. Stay tuned for more news!

* According to NPD Group