Xbox Series X|S had the biggest launch in Xbox history, says Phil Spencer

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Some launches are measured in lines and empty shelves, and that is exactly what the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S caused. On November 12, 2020, two days after the consoles hit stores, Phil Spencer, head of Microsoft’s Xbox division, confirmed on Twitter that it had been the biggest launch in the brand’s history.

According to Spencer, more new consoles were sold in 24 hours, in more countries, than in any previous Xbox debut. In the same message, he thanked players and said Microsoft was working with retailers to restock as quickly as possible, since the units had sold out. He also wrote that players kept showing that “the power of connection through games matters more than ever”.

Thank you for supporting the largest launch in Xbox history. In 24 hrs more new consoles sold, in more countries, than ever before. We’re working with retail to resupply as quickly as possible. You continue to show us the connective power of play is more important than ever.

— Phil Spencer (@XboxP3) November 12, 2020

What stands out is that Microsoft did not release an exact number of units sold on that first day. The comparison was with the brand’s own history: the previous record belonged to the Xbox One, which passed 1 million units at launch in 2013.

One detail that helps explain the rush: the debut happened in the middle of the covid-19 pandemic, with many people at home, and Microsoft launched two models at once. The Series X, more powerful and with a disc drive, aimed at 4K games at 60 frames per second. The Series S, digital-only and much smaller, was the cheaper entry point to the new generation.

What came next

Both consoles sold out in practically every market right at launch, and finding one in stores remained hard for months, amid a global chip shortage that also left the PlayStation 5 scarce. Market estimates put Xbox Series sales at around 3.5 million by the end of 2020 and 6.5 million by June 2021, ahead of the pace of the Xbox One and Xbox 360 over the same period. In June 2023, during an ID@Xbox event in Brazil, Microsoft said it had passed 21 million units.