Ampere Analysis estimated that Microsoft had sold 18.5 million Xbox Series X|S consoles by the end of 2022. That is a historical third-party estimate—not an official Microsoft sales total and not a current lifetime figure.
What the 18.5 million figure means
Video Games Chronicle reported the estimate on February 28, 2023, attributing it to Ampere Analysis analyst Piers Harding-Rolls. The estimate covered the combined Xbox Series X and Series S family through the end of 2022. Microsoft had not disclosed an official unit total in the reporting. VGC’s report is the source for the date, attribution, and cutoff.
So the careful wording is that Ampere estimated 18.5 million consoles by the end of 2022. Saying simply that “Microsoft sold 18.5 million” can wrongly suggest a company-confirmed figure or a present-day total.
How the estimate compares with later reporting
A later, separate estimate put the combined total at 28.3 million by June 2024. Pure Xbox reported that figure in September 2024, relaying Wall Street Journal reporting based on Aldora Intelligence data. It, too, was third-party information rather than a Microsoft disclosure. Pure Xbox’s report describes the estimate and its source.
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| Reported figure | Cutoff | Source and status |
|---|---|---|
| 18.5 million | End of 2022 | Ampere Analysis estimate attributed to Piers Harding-Rolls, reported by VGC in 2023; not an official Microsoft total. |
| 28.3 million | June 2024 | Aldora Intelligence estimate relayed through Wall Street Journal reporting and reported by Pure Xbox in 2024; not an official Microsoft total. |
These are snapshots from different third-party estimates, not a consistent official time series. They should not be added together or treated as a verified progression. The latest worldwide lifetime unit total is not established by the cited reporting.
Why revenue reports do not answer the unit-sales question
Microsoft reported that Xbox console sales revenue fell 42% year over year for the quarter ending June 2024, according to Ars Technica. Revenue measures money generated, not the number of consoles sold. It can change with prices, discounts, and the mix of products, so the decline does not establish a unit-sales total. Ars Technica’s report distinguishes the revenue figure from raw console shipment numbers.
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What the estimate does—and does not—say about Series X and Series S
The 18.5 million estimate combines Series X and Series S. It does not provide a reliable split between the two models, so it cannot show how many of each console Microsoft sold.
Microsoft’s product materials distinguish the consoles by performance tier, storage capacity, and disc-drive versus all-digital configuration. Those product differences are useful for understanding what the combined estimate covers, but they do not reveal the sales mix. Microsoft’s Xbox console pages describe the models and configurations.
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Harding-Rolls characterized Series S demand during the holiday season, even with pricing promotions, as lacking the high-end pull of its bigger sibling. That is his assessment, not a quantified comparison of Series X and Series S sales.
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What buyers and readers can conclude
- The 18.5 million number is an Ampere Analysis estimate with an end-of-2022 cutoff.
- It covers Series X and Series S together, without a substantiated model-by-model breakdown.
- Microsoft’s reported console revenue decline is not a substitute for unit-sales data.
- The later 28.3 million estimate also remains a third-party figure, and the cited sources do not establish a current official lifetime total.
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