I won't be able to transcribe my interview with Microsoft entertainment president Robbie Bach (who oversees videogames, amongst other things) until tonight, most likely. But between my talk to him, Microsoft's keynote last night, and Sony's keynote today (which included a section with Playstation topper Kaz Hirai talking videogames), I got a few interesting statistics worth comparing:

-Number of worldwide members of Microsoft's online videogame service Xbox Live: 17 million. Number of registered accounts on Sony's competing Playstation Network: 17 million. (Even though there are substantially fewers PS3s on the market than Xbox 360s, Sony does have the advantage of people going onto PSN from the PSP. In addition, PSN is free to play online, but Xbox Live costs money, though anyone can "join" just to browse downloadable content)

-In the last three months of 2008, Microsoft added 3 million Xbox Live members. In December, Sony added 2.1 million Playstation Network members.

-Playstation Network users have downloaded more than 330 million pieces of content. Microsoft's content downloads went up 70% since it launched the new version of Xbox Live in November (not comparable, I know)

-Over 25 million "Halo" games have been sold and the average player spends more than 150 hours online (given that some people don't play online, that means some people have played a lot more than 150 hours. wow.)

-More than 1.3 million "unique users" have played "LittleBigPlanet." Note that this is not the same as Sony saying it has sold 1.3 million units of the game. There are more than 300,000 user-created levels already. It would take two straight years, non-stop, to play them all.

-Over 80% of all "Guitar Hero" and "Rock Band" downloads have been on Xbox Live, which means only about 20% are on Playstation Network. Microsoft says it has sold over 60 million song downloads. Assuming that just an infinitismal number of those are for new karaoke game "Lips," that means Sony has sold about 12 million songs on PSN for those two franchises (and probably a few million more for its "Singstar" karaoke franchise).

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Comments

Replacement 360s are not included in the 28 million sales mark. And just because the 360 came a year early doesnt change the fact that the 360 sold each year than the ps3 when it was out. Besides who actualy bought a 360 b4 the other consoles were out anyway. Also thats bullshit if Ryland Quaid bought over 40 360s and doesnt like them hes ehter a rich fat dumb ass that doesnt know what he wants.

Posted by: jacob | January 21, 2009 at 02:29 PM

Trashy is right. Replacement consoles sent to the same person do not count as extra sales. Xbox 360 is outelling the PS3. It's undeniable. Although Wii is beating them both so badly it kinda barely matters.
And it's also correct that XBL memberships include original Xbox, but PSN does not include PS2.

Posted by: Ben Fritz | January 10, 2009 at 10:38 AM

The difference in numbers is easily understood when you just acknowledge that M$ may have sold 27 million xbox 2 consoles but about 10 million of those are replacements.

Microsoft is replacing all RROD xbox 360s free of charge even after warranties are expired. Unless people are to lazy to send it in for replacement your theory is bunk.

Posted by: Trashy | January 09, 2009 at 06:58 PM

Uh, when did Variety start attracting the attention of illiterate fanboys?
An odd, albeit slightly sad milestone, Ben.

Posted by: Ryland Quaid | January 09, 2009 at 08:11 AM

I have bought over 40 XBOX360's. Do I own one now? No. Do I plan on buying another? Never. Do I have the money? Yes. Do I feel as an American that XBOX, XBOX360, Microsoft and the army of people on there 50 buck payroll are working in the best interest of our people? N0.

Microsoft with there 360 will forever be remebered as the greatest shame the videogame industry has ever known and insight into the heart of west coast thought process's.

Microsoft has for me, become the technilogical embodiment of evil. Everything they do or say is a lie.

Posted by: Benjamin | January 09, 2009 at 07:32 AM

First of all you should all know that Variety.com has a joint venture with Microsoft.

This article sounds like all other just a justification of for Microsoft numbers, I wonder why the author does not state that XBOX360 has been released for more than 1 year ahead of PS3 and to proove my point check paragrpah 2 of his article.

He says that PSN users have downloaded more than 330 million pieces of content but doesn't give a number for 360 all he says it is up 70%. And we should tak his word for it???

He also states that 360 has sold more that PS3 but again fails to state that the 360 has been around more than 1 year than PS3. Do these numbers include the persons who purchased 360 4,5 and even 6 times because of RRoD?

I believe that Microsoft is ini deep sh*t in 2009 that it is using all it's tiny press soldiers to defend it.

BTW PS2 can NOT connect to the PSN

Posted by: PS3 user | January 09, 2009 at 05:52 AM