Microsoft today revealed its earnings for the holiday period ended on December 31, 2011, and the company as a whole saw record revenues. Executives credited, in part, the strong growth Xbox has seen. "This holiday season was the strongest in Microsoft history, thanks to good sales execution and compelling products like Xbox 360 and Kinect,” said Kevin Turner, chief operating officer at Microsoft.
The Entertainment & Devices Division, which houses the Xbox group, posted revenue of $4.24 billion, an increase of 15% from the prior period. Operating income, however, dipped 21% from $666 million to $528 million. Microsoft noted, "Xbox 360 platform revenue grew $322 million or 9%, led by increased volumes of Xbox 360 consoles sold and higher Xbox LIVE revenue, offset in part by lower volumes of standalone Kinect sensors sold. We shipped 8.2 million Xbox 360 consoles during the second quarter of fiscal year 2012, compared with 6.3 million Xbox 360 consoles during the second quarter of fiscal year 2011."
As we previously reported, Xbox 360's installed base now totals about 66 million, and 18 million Kinect sensors have been sold as well. In addition, Xbox LIVE continues to be strong, as the service now has 40 million members worldwide, which represents an increase of 33% from the prior year.
