Based on industry-standard, independent statistics from research firms Chart-Track and GfK] and on the recent Microsoft results announcement, Xbox, the future generation video game system from Microsoft, today announced new sales data that demonstrates its ever-strengthening position in the video game console market. Second-quarter financial results announced by Microsoft show that Xbox has sold more than 3.7 million consoles life-to-date in Europe up to 31st December 2003. Sales were buoyed by fantastic-value offers at retail as well as great games such as Project Gotham Racing 2, Top Spin, Crimson Skies, Counter-Strike (all Microsoft Game Studios), Need for Speed: Underground (Electronic Arts), Rainbow Six 3 (Ubi Soft) and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (LucasArts). Over the 2003 calendar year, Xbox achieved year-on-year growth in market share in Europe, putting it in a clear number-two position in the video game console market. In the UK, Xbox passed the one-million console mark the first week of December 2003 and was the only video games console to achieve positive growth (6%) year-on year (CY03 v. CY02).