Microsoft Corp.'s money-losing Xbox video game console gained market share and ranked as the No. 2 machine in the U.S. and European game markets during the recent holiday season, the executive who oversees the company's game business said on Thursday.
In an interview with Reuters after Microsoft reported its results for the December quarter, Robbie Bach said the company would focus heavily on new software this year after a strong launch for the online gaming component for the Xbox.
Since its Nov. 15, 2001 launch, the $199 Xbox has sold more than 8 million units worldwide, including more than 250,000 $50 starter kits for its Xbox Live online gaming service since that product's Nov. 2002 launch. Analysts have said Microsoft loses $100 or more on each Xbox unit it produces.
Of the total sold to date, 5.4 million units were sold in North America, 1.8 million were sold in Europe and about 850,000 were sold in the Asia-Pacific region, with just less than half of those in Japan.
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