Xbox Live's Major Nelson : Press Release

Halo Wars sell 1-million copies

Major Nelson — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 16:40:11 GMT

It has been just announced that Halo Wars has sold 1-million copies world wide. If you have not tried it yet, why not download the free demo which will give you a good idea of what the success is all about.

Halo Wars Demo sets record for downloads

Major Nelson — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 17:00:00 GMT

It was just announced that the Halo Wars demo, released on February 5th, set the one day record for most demo downloads over Xbox LIVE. And in the first five days it was downloaded by over 2-million Xbox LIVE gold members. In addition, part three of the seven part ‘Strategy on Xbox’ is now available.

Click here to add this demo and video to your Xbox 360 download queue.

Top Directors bringing Horror to Xbox LIVE

Major Nelson — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 05:07:24 GMT

In case you missed the press release, I’ll also be chatting with some of the directors about their latest projects on a panel here at Comic Con. Any questions you’d like me to ask?

April NPD Numbers (according to us)

Major Nelson — Fri, 16 May 2008 00:08:00 GMT

Our PR and Marketing teams have released details on the National Purchase Diary numbers for April. Here, through the miracle of copy and paste, is the alert that was sent out earlier today:

Microsoft's Xbox 360 has sold 10.1 million units in the U.S., making it the first current generation gaming console to break the 10 million barrier in the U.S., and contributing to global sales of over 19 million. (April NPD data)

By the numbers: Xbox 360 is the most significant contributor to industry spending and growth
*188,000 Xbox 360 consoles were sold in April. (April NPD data)
*Xbox 360 has a record-setting attach rate of 7.6 games per console, the highest attach rate in history for a console at this point in its lifecycle. (April NPD data)
*Consumers have spent more than $9.7 billion on the Xbox 360 experience. (April NPD data)
*Xbox 360 titles accounted for $186 million of all third party game sales this generation, or 53% of share. (April NPD data)
*Xbox 360 games accounted for three of the top ten games in April, and secured the #1 spot with "Grand Theft Auto IV." (April NPD data)
*Not only are we selling more games, games play better on the Xbox 360. Xbox 360 has 91 titles with a Metacritic review score of 80 or higher, compared to just 50 for PS3 and 22 for Wii.

*Grand Theft Auto IV" on Xbox 360 snags top spot in April, boosts LIVE memberships to over 12 million
*In its first five days on the market, the Xbox 360 version of "Grand Theft Auto IV" sold 1.8 million units, outselling the other platform's version by nearly 2:1 in the U.S., and making it the top selling game in April. (April NPD data)
*Gamers eager to experience "Grand Theft Auto IV" online helped boost Xbox LIVE global membership totals to over 12 million this month. Fueled by an unparalleled combination of access to friends and family, the best online gaming features and the best entertainment content, the Xbox LIVE service has doubled in membership in only one year's time.
*Microsoft sales data shows Xbox 360 consoles saw a 54% lift week-over-week as a result of "Grand Theft Auto IV," and retailers are reporting that roughly four out of every 10 Xbox 360 consoles sold included the sale of a copy of "Grand Theft Auto IV." (Microsoft internal data)
*Beginning this fall, Xbox LIVE will be the only place gamers can go for exclusive "Grand Theft Auto IV" episodes.

*Grand Theft Auto IV" marked the beginning of what promises to be another landmark year for the Xbox 360 platform, with an all-star games line up in 2008 including "Gears of War 2," "Fable 2" and "Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise." Stay tuned for more announcements in the coming months.

<end paste>

What is pretty amazing is that GTA IV rocked everyone and it was released at the very end of the reporting period.

Here is Joystiq’s look at the numbers, while Kotaku has their take on them here.

Sorry, no gratuitous photo clip-art here…you are all creative enough to insert your favorite crying baby or high five JPG using your minds.

Xbox 360 first to reach 10m in the U.S. (for a total of 19m World Wide)

Major Nelson — Wed, 14 May 2008 20:00:00 GMT

The PR folks just kicked out a press release with some impressive new information:

The Xbox 360 is the first current generation gaming system to reach 10 million in U.S. console sales. That brings the total to 19 million worldwide
Xbox LIVE now tops 12 million members globally

Thanks to everyone for your support!

Edit: Cleaned up formatting and clarified the 19m number.

Xbox LIVE Arcade Community Awards announced at GDC 2008

Major Nelson — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 18:18:39 GMT

And the winners are:

Best Overall Arcade Game: "Bomberman Live" (Hudson Entertainment)
Best Classic Game: "Castlevania: Symphony of the Night" (Konami Digital Entertainment)
Best Original Game: "Pac-Man: Championship Edition" (NAMCO BANDAI Games)
Best Family-Friendly Game: "Pac-Man: Championship Edition" (NAMCO BANDAI Games)
Best Competitive Multiplayer Game: "Bomberman Live" (Hudson Entertainment)
Best Cooperative Multiplayer Game: "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" (Ubisoft Entertainment)
Best-Selling Game: "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" (Ubisoft Entertainment)
Most-Played Game: "Worms" (Team17 Software Limited)
Highest-Rated Game: "Castlevania: Symphony of the Night" (Konami Digital Entertainment)
Xbox LIVE Arcade Staff Choice: "Pac-Man: Championship Edition" (NAMCO BANDAI Games)

Full details in the media alert that went out earlier today.

XNA Game Studio 2.0 details now available

Major Nelson — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 23:30:03 GMT

Details on XNA Game Studio 2.0 have just been released. The new version has over 15 new features, including the ability to create online and cross platform multiplayer games for Xbox 360 and Windows over Xbox LIVE. If you are looking for something to do over the Holiday, why not try your hand at writing a game?

[Read the press release]

Fall Dash update coming next week (Dec. 4th.)

Major Nelson — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 17:00:00 GMT

It was just confirmed that the Fall Dashboard update will be released next Tuesday, December 4th. One of the new features that will be part of the release is ‘Friends of Friends.’ With this new features, you’ll be able to browse the friends list of anyone on your Xbox LIVE friends list and send anyone on your friends list a friends request. We’re also adding a ‘Friends List’ setting in the Dashboard* and on Xbox.com to allow you to control who can see your friends list.

-Everyone (only available to members 18 and older)
-Friends only (available to members 13 and older)
-Blocked (available to all members, and automatic for anyone under the age of 13)

It’s important to mention that when the dashboard update is released, the new default setting will be Everyone (assuming you are of age). For those members that not want to share their friend list, we’ve added a page on Xbox.com that is available today where you can modify this setting as you see fit. If you want to keep your friends list private, you can sign into Xbox.com now at www.xbox.com/fof and change the setting to Blocked (if you so desire.) This gives you a full week to decide which setting you would like for this new feature.

If you want to fully embrace the new feature, you don’t need to thing except wait for the update next week.

[Read the press release on Xbox.com]

*This setting will appear in the dash next week with the update.

Edit: No this is not the only feature for the fall update. There are more, but this is all that is being released at this time (along with the previously announced Xbox Originals) I also clarified that you have to be over 18 to have this set to everyone when it launches next week.

Edit: Regarding those who have child accounts but who are now over 18..we are very aware of this and we are working on the technology to properly 'graduate' your account (the official term.) We'll have details on this very soon ;)

Also, you can change this setting as often as you’d like. It’s not a one time switch…not sure why people think that.

Live is 5ive (and information about Xbox Originals)

Major Nelson — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 05:04:10 GMT

Xbox LIVE is 5 years old this Thursday, and if you have been hanging out on the internet today you may have heard we have a celebration planned.

Xbox.com has just posted all the celebration information, including details on the upcoming Xbox Originals.

Official press release here

Officially Announcing the Xbox 360 Arcade (finally)

Major Nelson — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 04:01:37 GMT

Even though some information has been out there for a while, tonight we officially announced the Xbox 360 Arcade console. Here are some of the particulars :

Available now in most stores for US $279.99
Comes with a wireless controller
Has HDMI out
256 MU in the box
Includes full versions of the following Arcade titles on disc:

Here is the the official press release which also includes news about the increase in family friendly content on the Video Marketplace.

Edit: Added press release link.

H3: Over $300 million in one week

Major Nelson — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 13:01:09 GMT

Halo 3 continues to fly off the shelves, with over $300 million dollars in sales in the first week alone. Other interesting data from the press release (at the bottom of this post):

More than 2.7 million gamers have played "Halo 3" on Xbox LIVE in the first week, representing nearly one-third of the 7 million Xbox LIVE members worldwide.
Within the first day of its launch, "Halo 3" players worldwide racked up more than 3.6 million hours of online gameplay, which increased more than elevenfold to 40 million hours by the end of the first week, representing more than 4,500 years of continuous gameplay.
In the first week, Since "Halo 3 launched," gamers have unlocked nearly 30 million achievements.

Here is the complete press release:

Global Entertainment Phenomenon “Halo 3” Records More Than $300 Million in First-Week Sales Worldwide

Xbox 360 console sales more than doubled; nearly 3 million gamers play online via Xbox LIVE.

REDMOND, Wash. — Oct. 4, 2007 — Interactive entertainment will never be the same, with the launch of one title that has changed the way the world thinks about video games. “Halo^® 3” has captured the attention of consumers worldwide and has made history as one of the biggest entertainment launches of all time.

Microsoft Corp. today announced that “Halo 3” has officially become a global phenomenon, garnering more than $300 million in sales in the first week alone. The critically acclaimed Xbox 360^® exclusive, which was released worldwide on Tuesday, Sept. 25, is the fastest-selling video game ever and already one of the most successful entertainment properties in history.

Initial reports from retailers worldwide show console sales have more than doubled compared with the weekly average before the launch of “Halo 3.” With games such as “Halo 3,” “Madden 08” (EA Sports), “Mass Effect” (Microsoft Game Studios) and “Rock Band” (Harmonix), Xbox 360 has the greatest lineup in the history of video games and is the only console where consumers can play all the year’s biggest blockbusters.

“‘Halo’ is truly a cultural phenomenon, and the launch of ‘Halo 3’ is an important milestone for Xbox 360 and for video games as entertainment and as an art form,” said Bill Gates, chairman of Microsoft. “‘Halo 3’ embodies our vision for the future of entertainment, where some of the world’s greatest creative minds will deliver a new generation of interactive storytelling.”

“Halo 3” is quickly staking its place as the most popular Xbox LIVE^® game in history with members gathering in record numbers to play on the world’s largest online gaming and entertainment network on TV. More than 2.7 million gamers have played “Halo 3” on Xbox LIVE in the first week, representing nearly one-third of the 7 million Xbox LIVE members worldwide. Within the first day of its launch, “Halo 3” players worldwide racked up more than 3.6 million hours of online gameplay, which increased more than elevenfold to 40 million hours by the end of the first week, representing more than 4,500 years of continuous gameplay. Since “Halo 3 launched,” gamers have unlocked nearly 30 million achievements. In its first week alone, “Halo 3” drove a record number of Xbox LIVE Gold Memberships as hundreds of thousands of new members gathered online with friends, family members and other gamers around the world to collectively compete and complete the game.

“Halo 3” is the conclusion to the epic trilogy and picks up where “Halo 2” left off, answering questions about the fates of the beloved protagonist Master Chief™ and his artificial intelligence sidekick Cortana as they struggle to save humankind from destruction at the hands of the alien coalition known as the Covenant. In addition to the rich storyline, “Halo 3” continues the franchise’s grand tradition of delivering innovative online multiplayer experiences via Xbox LIVE. The game’s online multiplayer and innovative four-player cooperative gameplay for Xbox LIVE Gold users, the much-talked-about Saved Films feature that enables players to capture and save their favorite moments on their hard drives, and Forge, an innovative map editor that enables myriad customization options, are just some of the new features gamers are experiencing.

Developed by Bungie Studios and published by Microsoft Game Studios, the “Halo” franchise is exclusive to the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system and optimized for the Xbox LIVE online entertainment network. “Halo 3” was released in 37 countries and 17 languages. To date, more than 20 million copies of the games in the “Halo” trilogy have been sold worldwide.

Record week-one sales come on the heels of the previously announced $170 million in sales in the U.S. within the first 24 hours of the game’s release, which marked not just the biggest video game launch, but the biggest entertainment launch in history. The Xbox 360 title beat previous U.S. sales records set by blockbuster openings for entertainment events such as the release of “Spider-Man 3” and “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.” In addition, more than 1.7 million copies of “Halo 3” were pre-ordered in the United States, making it the fastest pre-selling game in history, surpassing the previous record-setting pre-sales of “Halo 2.”

# # #

It's official:"Halo 3" Registers Biggest Day in US Entertainment History

Major Nelson — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 21:12:45 GMT

I normally don't cut and paste press releases, but this one *just* landed in my box and is pretty exciting:

Xbox 360 Exclusive “Halo 3” Registers Biggest Day in US Entertainment History with $170 Million in Sales

Microsoft today announced that the Xbox 360 exclusive game “Halo 3” has officially become the biggest entertainment launch in history, garnering an estimated $170 million in sales in the United States alone in the first 24 hours. The Xbox 360 title beat previous records set by blockbuster theatrical releases like “Spider-man 3” and novels such as “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.”

“Halo 3” is the conclusion to the epic trilogy and picks up where “Halo 2” left off, answering questions around the fates of the beloved protagonist Master Chief and his artificial intelligence sidekick Cortana as they struggle to save humankind from destruction at the hands of the alien coalition known as the Covenant. In addition to the rich storyline, “Halo 3” continues the franchise’s grand tradition of delivering innovative online multiplayer experiences via Xbox LIVE, the world’s largest social network on TV.

“Halo 3 has become a pop-culture phenomenon,” said Shane Kim, corporate vice president of Microsoft Game Studios. “Not only is “Halo 3” setting sales records, it’s also redefining entertainment.

Within the first 20 hours alone, we’ve seen more than a million Xbox LIVE members come online to play Halo 3 – that makes September 25 the most active Xbox LIVE gaming day in history.”

Retailers have also expressed their excitement about the launch of “Halo 3.”

Bob McKenzie, Senior Vice President of Merchandising for GameStop Corp commented that, “With consumer demand for Halo 3 and related products, we expect it to be the biggest video game title generator in GameStop's history."

“The initial demand we’ve seen for ‘Halo 3’ has been astounding, and the game is on track to become the number one gaming title of all time. ‘Halo 3’ is a genuine entertainment phenomenon and our customers have responded very enthusiastically to the release,” said Jill Hamburger, vice president of movies and games at Best Buy.

Developed by Bungie Studios, the “Halo” franchise is exclusive to the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system and optimized for the Xbox LIVE^® online entertainment network. The more than 7 million Xbox LIVE users will get a continually evolving gaming experience with “Halo 3.” Its online multiplayer and cooperative gameplay for Xbox LIVE Gold users, the much-talked-about Saved Films feature that enables players to capture and save their favorite moments on their hard drives, and Forge, an innovative map editor that enables infinite customization options are just some of the new features to experience.

More than 10,000 retailers hosted Midnight Madness events to celebrate the launch of this third installment in the billion-dollar franchise. In New York, Seattle, Miami and Los Angeles, Microsoft and retail partners hosted marquee launch events that featured contests and appearances by local celebrities and professional athletes who are fanatical about the “Halo” franchise, including Ludacris and Zac Efron and Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates.

More than 1.7 million copies of “Halo 3” were preordered in the United States before a single store opened its doors at midnight, Sept. 25, making this the fasting pre-selling game in history, surpassing the previous record-setting pre-sales of “Halo 2.” Well beyond just a U.S. phenomenon, the launch of “Halo 3” was a worldwide celebration that released in 37 countries and available in 17 languages.

# # #

TGS 2007 Announcements

Major Nelson — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 06:04:59 GMT

Today in Tokyo at the Microsoft Press Briefing, we made some announcements about our line up of Japanese developers and some of the new titles coming to the Xbox 360….including (as you may have heard) NINJA GAIDEN 2. Check out the Marketplace for a NG2 trailer as well.

Complete details in the press release

Halo 3 Coming September25th

Major Nelson — Wed, 16 May 2007 04:11:00 GMT

Place your pre-order and start your countdown clocks…it lands September 25th, 2007.

[Full press release]

PLUS the Zune folks have details on the special edition Halo Zune

Edit: Added clock and Zune link.

New Gears maps coming this Thursday

Major Nelson — Tue, 01 May 2007 13:01:04 GMT

It’s the ‘Hidden Fronts’ map pack and it’s dropping this Thursday, May 3, at 9 a.m. GMT

The map pack is 800 points in which you’ll get four new multiplayer maps:

Bullet Marsh: In this Kryll-infested swamp, an old generator still powers the area lights. A few stray bullets could easily knock out the generator, leaving combatants to fend for themselves against the Kryll.

Garden: This overgrown and crumbling conservatory still has a working fertilization and pesticide system. This system can pose a serious hazard to anyone who ventures into the greenhouse without first venting the air.

Process: Teams must fight for control of this subterranean Imulsion processing plant, still active despite the cessation of the Pendulum wars.

Subway: Timgad's Central Subway station used to serve as a central hub for commuters. Now the tunnels are crawling with Locust.

You can grab the pack this Thursday for 800 points or wait until Sept. 3, 2007 when all four maps will be available for free.

Edit: Uploaded screens to Flickr

Headed to GDC and more Xbox Stats

Major Nelson — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 06:03:02 GMT

I am off to GDC in San Francisco today. I am only staying one night, but I’ll hopefully be able to record the Microsoft sessions I attend to share with you as a blogcast. If you are in town for the show, keep an eye out for me and my recorder. Also, we released some new Xbox Live data this morning. Here are just a few of the stats: We’re at 6–million members, the average Gold subscriber has 22 friends on their list, we have unlocked 300–million Achievements and there are over 7,000 pieces of individual content on the Xbox Live Marketplace. Wow.

What is your favorite stat from the complete list?

Edit: I just uploaded a few photos from the Convention Center. John from the Gamerscore blog will be posting his shortly as well.