Microsoft Releases Overview of Xbox Business as Xbox One X Launch Approaches
With less than two weeks before the launching of the Xbox One X, Microsoft released its latest financial performance. As the numbers point, there is a looming challenge for the company to keep the sales of its existing products up, especially with the imminent arrival of the world's "most powerful console ever."
Gamespot reported that according to Microsoft's Earning Release for the third quarter of the Fiscal Year 2017, Microsoft registered $1.896 billion in gaming revenue. The numbers went up one percent compared to the same time last year partly because of the software and services revenue that registered a 21 percent increase, buoyed by "a higher volume of Xbox Live transactions," the report revealed.
The report said that monthly active users of the Xbox Live increased by 13 percent to 53 million. The number includes all users who logged in on the Xbox 360, Xbox One, and PC over the last 30 days.
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Despite the increase, it was offset by "a decline in revenue per transaction." Moreover, the hardware division took a huge blow, as it went down 48 percent year-over-year in terms of revenue. The company noted that they sold a fewer number of units at a lower price.
Earlier this month, Xbox boss Phil Spencer said during the Brasil Game Show that the Xbox One X is not for everybody. Furthermore, he also stressed that it will not replace the Xbox One as Microsoft's market leader. "Whether you're on a 1080p TV or a 4K TV, you're going to have a great experience. But it's not for everybody," said Spencer.
Meanwhile, the company recently confirmed via Xbox Wire that certain Xbox 360 games will receive enhancements for the Xbox One X. These upgrades include "higher resolution, 9X the original pixel count, and with expanded color details."
The upcoming console uses the Heutchy Method, "which leverages the power of Xbox One X to let the Xbox 360 emulator present the very best version of the game possible with the existing assets—all without touching the game code," explained Microsoft.
The Xbox One X launches on Nov. 7 and will retail for $500.
