GAMING NEWS – Analyst estimates suggest that combined Xbox Series X|S sales have remained effectively stuck at 37 million units since March 2025. Current projections indicate that Microsoft’s consoles may not even cross the 40 million milestone by the end of 2026.
This console generation has been especially difficult for Xbox and Microsoft. Between the heavily criticized multiplatform pivot and repeated price increases for the Series machines, the brand has fallen even further behind PlayStation over the last few years.
Asha Sharma’s appointment and the return of exclusives created a more positive atmosphere and briefly produced a small hardware-sales bump. A lasting recovery still appears distant, however, with the latest estimates showing almost no movement for Xbox Series X and Series S across an entire year.
The numbers point to a 37 million Xbox install base
Install Base analyst John Welfare estimates that worldwide Xbox Series X|S sales stand at roughly 37 million units, essentially unchanged since March 2025.
The calculation draws on figures from Take-Two’s latest report. The publisher places the combined install base of current-generation consoles at 129 million units, while PlayStation 5 accounts for at least 92 million. Subtracting those totals leaves approximately 37 million Xbox Series systems.
Welfare reached the same estimate in March 2025. Even under the most favorable interpretation, Microsoft’s hardware may have added only about 500,000 units since then, a result that offers little reason to celebrate for a company of this scale.
The early momentum disappeared after 18 months
Previous reporting supports the same trend. An analysis published in January 2026 suggested that Microsoft sold half of the Xbox Series X|S family’s lifetime total during the first eighteen months, followed by an increasingly severe slowdown.
Industry forecasts currently predict about 2.5 million console sales across 2026. Even that figure may not be enough to push the Series family beyond 40 million units before the year ends.
The situation is even more awkward because Xbox Series S and Series X hardware reportedly continues to lose money on every unit despite the price increases. Microsoft’s hardware business is therefore struggling both in market share and direct profitability.
The next Xbox does not promise a quick comeback
According to the source, the next-generation Xbox Helix may face an equally serious pricing problem. Reports point to a price near $1,200, while some estimates forecast global sales of only two million units.
These remain unofficial projections, but they reinforce the idea that an Xbox recovery in the console market is unlikely to happen soon. Microsoft’s expanding multiplatform publishing strategy may also continue reducing the incentive to buy the company’s own hardware.
Source: Tech4Gamers
