Kinect sells 2.5 million in 25 days

By Fred Dutton Published 29 November, 2010

Retailers expect "consistent shipments."

The Xbox 360's Kinect peripheral has sold more than 2.5 million units worldwide in the 25 days since launch.

"We are thrilled about the consumer response to Kinect," said Microsoft exec Don Mattrick, "and are working hard with our retail and manufacturing partners to expedite production and shipments of Kinect to restock shelves as fast as possible to keep up with demand."

"With sales already exceeding two and a half million units in just 25 days, we are on pace to reach our forecast of five million units sold to consumers this holiday."

Earlier this month Mattrick had claimed that unless you had ordered a Kinect already, chances of picking one up before Christmas were slim – a claim that retail analyst Michael Pachter has chosen to take with a pinch of salt.

Huge US retail chain Target certainly seems confident that it will have stock. Merchandising VP Nik Nayar said, "We expect Kinect will be a must-have gift this holiday season, so Target will continue to receive consistent shipments of Kinect throughout December."

Picture of Fred.

About Fred Dutton

Fred Dutton is Eurogamer's US news editor, based in Washington DC.

Read more articles from Fred by visiting the Fred Dutton archive page.

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Comments (78) Latest comment 1 year ago

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  • fcpthebest #1 2 years ago

    Oh dear marketing...

    I bet lil' Justin Biba doesnt even know what kinect is

  • peterfll #2 2 years ago

    Well, they have one more spare to sell after explaining to a friend that unless she planned on knocking down a wall she didn't have enough space in her very small lounge for it.

  • Beano #3 2 years ago

    That's $200 pr unit for marketing so far...

  • Nazo #4 2 years ago

    "We expect Kinect will be a must-have gift this holiday season, so Target will continue to receive consistent shipments of Kinect throughout December."
    I wonder if he realizes the second half of his sentence doesn't logically follow on from the first?

  • yoomazir #5 2 years ago

    not bad, not bad at all

  • rotmm #6 2 years ago

    shipped /= sold to consumers.

  • CaptainQuint #7 2 years ago

    Yep, I'm one of the impulsive suckers who bought it and now strokes virtual tiger cubs in-between Halo matches and Need For Speed racers.

  • lockload #8 2 years ago

    That preyy incredible blows the xbox360 launch out of the water

    Good to see the company that does something different geting some rewards


    @Nazo

    Yes it does
    Edited by lockload at 29/11/10 @ 23:11

  • hobojebus #9 2 years ago

    I could walk into any shop in town and pick one up, i wont because its a damned waste of money as i'm neither gay or a woman so have no interest in dance games the only games that have got decent reviews.

  • scottycam #10 2 years ago

    Where's all the naysayers who baulked at the original 3 million by Christmas figure now?

  • Yossarian #11 2 years ago

    These numbers are confirmed "sold to customers", by the way, not just shipped to retailers.

    So, you know.

  • Furfoot #12 2 years ago

    Aye just so you know this shit is _for_ _real_ bitches.

  • coolbritannia #13 2 years ago

    I can see why, it's a bloody amazing bit of kit. My gf now plays Kinect with me, and even she says it shits all over the Wii.

  • Machiavellian #14 2 years ago

    If my wife who doesn't care or play any games has knowledge of Kinect and was sold on how fun it is from word of mouth, two things are happening. One, MS marketing is working 2nd, people are having fun with Kinect and word of mouth is positive. The combination of the two could cause the Wii effect and position kinect to actually make 5 mill by the end of the year.

    2.5 mill for the end of November is pretty good
    Edited by Machiavellian at 29/11/10 @ 23:52

  • Sid-Nice #15 2 years ago

    That's amazing, 100k units per day; that's on a par with the waning US Wii sales.

  • spazmo #16 2 years ago

    I think people baulked because they thought they knew how the average Xbox owner felt about motion control. Seems it was deep rooted jealousy all along. Now we get to see a whole new batch slowly realise motion control really is a bit naff.

  • Vyggo #17 2 years ago

    Wow! 2.5 million, that's very impressive.

  • darkmorgado #18 2 years ago

    I could walk into any shop in town and pick one up, i wont because its a damned waste of money as i'm neither gay or a woman so have no interest in dance games the only games that have got decent reviews.

    So the only people interested in Kinect are gays or women? You think gay people or women aren't interested in hardcore games? You think all Gay people like dancing?

    Fucking idiot.

  • john_gunn #19 2 years ago

    Seconded.

    What an idiot.

  • MiY4MOTO #20 2 years ago

    "its a damned waste of money as i'm neither gay or a woman so have no interest in dance games the only games that have got decent reviews."

    I'm neither gay, nor a woman. I happen to play a lot of hardcore games too. However I happen to like new technology and have a girlfriend.

    I also own a Kinect. Prick.

    I've stunned by the quality of the kit to be honest, and 2.5 million units is quite an achievement however you slice it.

    Congrats to MS.

  • NewbieZilla #21 2 years ago

    Wonder how many hardcore gamers bought one on the pretext of "there will be games later".

  • darkmorgado #22 2 years ago

    Wonder how many hardcore gamers bought one on the pretext of "there will be games later".

    Considering that quite a few hardcore games have already been announced, including Steel Batallion, which is probably as hardcore as you can get, what is your point exactly?

  • Sid-Nice #23 2 years ago

    I also own a Kinect. Prick.

    . Have I missed something? Have Microsoft and Sony collaborated to make a Move/Kinect peripheral?
    Edited by Sid-Nice at 30/11/10 @ 01:13

  • NewbieZilla #24 2 years ago

    "Considering that quite a few hardcore games have already been announced, "

    I tend to like having a gaming device so as to play software. So, I tend to buy hardware in tandem with software. I see the alternative approach as being a moron.

  • darkmorgado #25 2 years ago

    I tend to like having a gaming device so as to play software. So, I tend to buy hardware in tandem with software. I see the alternative approach as being a moron.

    Yes. because as we all know platforms have a brilliant record of being launched with an abundance of AAA hardcore titles.

    Oh, wait...

  • NewbieZilla #26 2 years ago

    "Yes. because as we all know platforms have a brilliant record of being launched with an abundance of AAA hardcore titles. "

    True, and what is the defence of buying a platform at launch in such cases? In the most recent case, I held off buying an xbox 360 until March 2006. Oblivion got released, and I knew that game would keep me going a long time, judging by how long Morrowind lasted me.

    Why should "Oh its out, nothing good yet, I'll buy it anyway" be a reasonable approach? Why not hold out until you have something that you will play and like? Is that so boggling? I see anything else as boggling.

  • darkmorgado #27 2 years ago

    Perhaps because people like new tech? Because what you see as a shit game holds appeal to others?

    Just because *you* don't buy tech at launch, doesn't mean that people who do are idiots, or that just because software at launch doesn't appeal to you means that it won't appeal to others.

  • NewbieZilla #28 2 years ago

    "Perhaps because people like new tech? Because what you see as a shit game holds appeal to others? "

    If someone buys something and gets great fun out of something crap at launch, all power to them. I mean that. What I don't get is buying something on the premise of some unfulfilled idea of the future. In the case of most launches, I can understand the appeal of something. Whether it appeals to me or not is irrelevant.

    It is good for casuals and kids currently. No games for the hardcore market. In the future? At some unknown date? It could become a good purchase. And chances are, in the interim there will be some good value bundle with it and a game. I'm sure you've seen people complain about their wii gathering dust. It seems to me, people are buying things with the express purpose of it gathering dust for some amount of time. Again, I just can't understand that.

  • darkmorgado #29 2 years ago

    If everyone put off buying a console at launch, all consoles would fail.

    Very, very few consoles have had any "killer ap" at launch. Look at the PS2. No decent launch games, and it's the most succesful console in history. Look at the Wii. Look at the 360. At the PS3.

  • NewbieZilla #30 2 years ago

    "If everyone put off buying a console at launch, all consoles would fail. "

    So, what happens then? You seem to think that companies would go bankrupt. I see a very different thing, understanding business as you seem not to. They'll do what they always have done. Whatever will get the most profits, and they'll do what they can to have the best launch possible.

    Edit: Wii was the best of the three, it came out with a new Zelda game which is why I got that at launch. The 360 launched with Call of Duty 2. It seems to me that CoD is a something you could call a fairly successful IP.
    Edited by NewbieZilla at 30/11/10 @ 02:04

  • Lusterpurge #31 2 years ago

    Lol, that's not even 1 million a day! I KNEW it would sell like shit. Before the Kinect was even announced, I went on the Eurogamer forums and I said "Kinect is a piece of shit and it will sell like shit". And I was right. I'm ALWAYS right.

  • darkmorgado #32 2 years ago

    So, what happens then? You seem to think that companies would go bankrupt. I see a very different thing, understanding business as you seem not to. They'll do what they always have done. Whatever will get the most profits, and they'll do what they can to have the best launch possible.

    How is that any different from any business, ever? Profit is their single reason for being.

    Please name me the last console that launched with a brilliant hardcore title.

    EDIT: Twilight Princess was a port of a gamecube game. COD2 was a port of an Xbox/PS2 game. And COD was hardly the juggernaut that it is these days back then.
    Edited by darkmorgado at 30/11/10 @ 02:06

  • NewbieZilla #33 2 years ago

    Wii, Zelda.
    Xbox 360, Call of Duty 2.
    Playstation 3, Resistance.

    Edit: Xbox with Halo.
    Nintendo 64 with Super Mario 64.

    Quality titles at launch is not something that should surprise you.
    Edited by NewbieZilla at 30/11/10 @ 02:07

  • darkmorgado #34 2 years ago

    Twilight Princess was a port of a gamecube title.

    COD 2 was another port, and hardly brilliant.

    Resistance? Are you taking the piss? Aside from the fact it looks like a PS2 game and got mediocre reviews, are you honestly saying Resistance was a system seller?
    Edited by darkmorgado at 30/11/10 @ 02:08

  • darkmorgado #35 2 years ago

    Xbox with Halo: Yes, but the Xbox was hardly successful was it?

    Mario 64: Awesome game, but the platform died at retail.

  • darkmorgado #36 2 years ago

    Kinect has some great games. They may not be games that appeal to you, but they are great games. Kinectimals shows off the tech and has awesome graphics. Sports is great fun. Dance Central is fantastic. Adventures is average admittedly, and so are the others.

    But I bet if you compare review score averages for launch titles across platforms, Kinect actually performs favourably.

  • NewbieZilla #37 2 years ago

    I'm actually being easy going with my view on things. A game doesn't need to be a AAA killer app. Just a game that "Oh, you got that console, and you got that game, and you had fun right out of the gate" not "Oh, you got that, and you probably flung it into a corner into hibernation for a few months. Kudos."

    Zelda: TP, yes it came out for the Cube a little later on, but die hard Zelda fans are going to get a new Zelda fix in the means that takes less time. If you don't understand "New Ninty console with new Zelda game" I can't really do anything for you.

    CoD 2, Gamestop had a kiosk set up to play that. Had a lot of fun playing it and I saw lots of people amazed by what they saw. That has selling power.

    Resistance, personally, I wasn't impressed by the game but it got its share of fans and people buying a PS3 off its back have gotten good times out of the game.

    Going back to Kinect, again, "Oh, the future!" It is the nonsense I expect to hear from Sony fanboys with their its future proof, the 10 year plan, and all that other bullshit that I hear on a regular basis. I call out bullshit where I see it, and this is definitely bullshit.

  • darkmorgado #38 2 years ago

    Resistance, personally, I wasn't impressed by the game but it got its share of fans and people buying a PS3 off its back have gotten good times out of the game.

    And thus you destroy your own argument.

    You might not be impressed by the games on Kinect, but they clearly have their fans and the platform is doing very well less than a month out the gate.

    Noone in their right mind is saying that Kinect is the future, but it is a fun piece of kit, with some fun games, that is doing something different to Wii and Move, that has some very tasty looking hardcore games coming. Those hardcore games aren't here right now, but clearly the vasy majority of people buying couldn't give a shit about that, because they are too busy having fun with what they have now.

    You know, fun. That thing that existed in gaming before people got so fucking protective and exclusive about their hobby whilst simultaneously complaining that people don't get their hobby.

  • NewbieZilla #39 2 years ago

    I've already made my points, not going to try and throw any last shots in there. Actually happy that a discussion came out of this, and not the inevitable silence that I usually get to anything I say.

  • vmanb #40 2 years ago

    @darkmorgardo . Have you ever thought of getting a job or even a life instead of constantly viewing what people are commenting about and trying to be eurogamer post police you sad tw*t.

  • vmanb #41 2 years ago

    darkmorgado = ignore poster

  • NewbieZilla #42 2 years ago

    vmanb, I prefer a dissenting opinion voiced than the mouse warriors that is the trend of Eurogamer lately. I'd not advocate ignoring him.

  • vmanb #43 2 years ago

    although it sadden's me your probably right

  • vmanb #44 2 years ago

    Anyway i'm off to work.

  • Loghorn #45 2 years ago

    Pretty soon, we'll be getting threads &/or posts from not just this site, but other sites as well about: "My Kinect is a dust collector; how much can I sell it for?", etc.

    It's just only a matter of time.

  • metallicorphan #46 2 years ago

    it will be interesting to see if Kinect can manage the 5 million Units MS were predicting by Xmas(they predicted 3 million at first and then changed to 5 million the day before release)

    i myself wasn't interested at all until those 5 Japanese games were announced and then all of a sudden i wanted one,however i think it will still be a few months at least until i can even think of getting one

  • Machiavellian #47 2 years ago

    Pretty soon, we'll be getting threads &/or posts from not just this site, but other sites as well about: "My Kinect is a dust collector; how much can I sell it for?", etc.


    So we go from Kinect will sell like crap, MS must be out of their minds if they believe it will sell 5 million to the now statements of it will collect dust like all those Wiis out there. If the Wii is collecting so much dust, it sure is selling a heck of a lot of software but I guess the software is collecting dust as well.

    Personally I do not know if I will like Kinect, certainly there isn't anything I want that is out but from the people that I know that have Kinect, they are having fun. I believe MS hit home on the family party theme they are marketing Kinect and it seems this is where Kinect is shinning.

    I thought 5 million was a big stretch for Kinect but you have to give it to MS on a good stragety. It's clear MS has done their research and understood the right market to hit. MS has also executed on point even with all the negative comments from the core gamers. If Kinect does become the next Wii, then you have to give it up to MS for a well executed plan.

    I believe the next key to Kinect success is if MS can get those core games out to win back there core gamers. Japan is doing good job in my book but of course we need to see more.
    Edited by Machiavellian at 30/11/10 @ 14:58

  • Dave52 #48 1 year ago

    Actually, although it wasn't worded in the most politically correct way, I kinda understand what darkmorgado is saying.

    The best game for Kinect right now is a dance game. I hate dance games, and I can't think of one of my male mates that would view it as anything other than a game for women and kids (and, I guess, somewhat flamboyant gay men).

    Sorry, but thems the facts. Now if you're a heterosexual male and you're all made up about your Kinect Dance game, that's fine - but it isn't for me. Every bloke I know wants to shoot things, hit things, kill things or drive things, but will stretch to a platforma every now and again, so long as there's some shooting and hitting thrown in for good measure. They do not want to dance or pet tiger cubs.

  • Dizzy #49 1 year ago

    This will make the black Friday USA figures quite interesting.

  • handsonhips101 #50 1 year ago

    My local cex has 6 secondhand kinects in stock already.

  • Beano #51 1 year ago

    "You might not be impressed by the games on Kinect, but they clearly have their fanboys and the platform is doing very well less than a month out the gate."

    *fixed*
    Edited by Beano at 30/11/10 @ 07:13

  • mcwildcard #52 1 year ago

    I don't think it's surprising, or particularly amazing, if you threw that kind of cash at marketing turds on sticks you'd still get those sorts of numbers.
    By my maths they need to sell 5.3mil to cover the advertising budget and part costs alone, that's not taking into account logistic costs and reseller margins either. At a guess I'd say breakeven is about 7/8mil.
    That's a LOT of units to shift, they'll have to make games for existing users to achieve those numbers, if they stick to promoting to new users from the party gaming demographic, they'll be very likely to fall short.
    It's a ballsy strategy, I'll give them that.

  • Dizzy #53 1 year ago

    >At a guess I'd say breakeven is about 7/8mil

    Not at all... Kinect software will easily cover everything. Most Kinect owners will probably buy 2-3 extra games.

  • DazzeL190 #54 1 year ago

    Wow, I am actually stunned that several posters believed CoD 2 was a ps2/xbox port. Sometimes the lack of appreciation for where the games you like come from is astounding.

    CoD 2 was never released on the last gen platforms, they couldn't handle it. It was a PC game a year or so prior to 360 launch. The PC used to be the home of FPS until 360/Ps3 came about.

  • NewbieZilla #55 1 year ago

    "If the Wii is collecting so much dust, it sure is selling a heck of a lot of software but I guess the software is collecting dust as well. "

    It is one of the most common things I see being brought up by people in reference to their Wii is that it is just gathering dust that they haven't played it in X amount of time, and usually citing something like Mario Galaxy, for instance as the last game they played.

    That kinect will be like this some time down the road? That isn't a statement that can be backed by anything reasonably in my opinion right now. But, I would say that those who get it prior to good games come out are getting something that will just be gathering dust in the interim. No good games now should matter to people. It doesn't seem that big a deal.

    It's a common sentiment from people "Oh, its expensive, I'm not going to buy it. Oh, and yeah, no games." As if the no games is a secondary concern. The cost is the big thing here. To me, the cost is not a factor, the factor is I'd not be using it for months.

    "They do not want to dance or pet tiger cubs."

    Exactly, and these hardcore gamers buying kinect now? I'll not understand them.

    "Not at all... Kinect software will easily cover everything. Most Kinect owners will probably buy 2-3 extra games."

    Yep, have to agree there. There'll be a lot of people out there who'll want to get a lot of games for kinect. Wouldn't buy an accessory that expensive without wanting to use it.

    I do wonder when the good games will start coming out for it. Only thing I've seen that holds interest to me is Alan Wake 2. Just hope it isn't a botched implementation. Done well? I may get it on AW2 release.

  • bigbadbeasty #56 1 year ago

    "The PC used to be the home of FPS until 360/Ps3 came about"

    Not to worry, it still is :)
    Edited by bigbadbeasty at 30/11/10 @ 08:39

  • lennon #57 1 year ago

    Going well so far. Lets hope they keep the momentum going.

  • Widge #58 1 year ago

    That's the way with CEX with all new items...

  • coolbritannia #59 1 year ago

    The other think about Kinect is that it feels like the tip of the iceberg, I can see Kinect just getting better and better with every update.

  • funkateer #60 1 year ago

    Wow, 2.5 million...
    MS must be hitting themselves on the head for not having priced it a bit higher ;)

  • Widge #61 1 year ago

    Maybe Microsoft will start making 1st party titles again one day \o/

  • mkreku #62 1 year ago

    At first I was like, "How can it sell so well?!", but after seeing that they're doing with Kinect on the PC, I'm now interested in getting one myself. Not for my Xbox 360 though..

  • coolbritannia #63 1 year ago

    'My local cex has 6 stolen kinects in stock already.'

    Fixed.

  • bladdard #64 1 year ago

    Good sales indeed and unsurprising given the money thrown at it but I really hope MS don't forget the people who put them where they are, gave them the funds and scope to be creative and release some proper games as well as new kinect stuff.

  • Spekingur #65 1 year ago

    Wonder how many hardcore gamers bought one on the pretext of "there will be games later".

    Didn't everyone that bought a console at their launch dates buy them because of such a promise? I know a few that bought a PS3 at launch because GT5 would be on it "soon". That worked out well :D

    You might want to take notice that if MS had already spent 500 mill USD on advertisements you would be seeing a lot more adverts around - especially so close to Christmas. Even when they did that Halo billboard thingy they spent less money on advertisements. So I would guess that 500mil USD is the amount that has been put aside and will be used for the next 6-12 months to push Kinect. Have we ever gotten any info on how much money was/is spent on Wii ad campaigns or Move ad campaign?

  • NewbieZilla #66 1 year ago

    "Didn't everyone that bought a console at their launch dates buy them because of such a promise? "

    I find people who buy a console on the back of a game not yet released is probably of the sort that needs a professional carer to tie their shoe laces.

  • Noble6 #67 1 year ago

    @hobojebus

    You're a shallow idiot.
    Edited by Noble6 at 30/11/10 @ 11:11

  • Negotiator #68 1 year ago

    Kinect is brilliant, just so much fun and as word of mouth spreads sales will get better and better.

  • makeamazing #69 1 year ago

    Wow alot of hate in this thread... calm down its just a bit of kit.

    2.5 million in 25 days is a very good figure indeed and is surprising to me... but i do doubt its long term viability/interest for players.

    Sales were decreasing by about 20% week on week for the bundled game according to some websites, so it will be interesting to see if BF changes that. The wii is also picking up alot of steam, and i wonder what if any impact that will have.

    MS will say they are happy regardless of the sales they get (they cannot say otherwise), but i still think 2.5 million is a very impressive start.

  • Spekingur #70 1 year ago

    NewbieZilla wrote:
    I find people who buy a console on the back of a game not yet released is probably of the sort that needs a professional carer to tie their shoe laces.

    Your feelings (and opinion) are only facts about yourself, not the general public :p

    I did not buy my consoles at their respective release dates. I know many who did. Disregarding them as "drooling idiots that can't tie their own shoelaces" (or so rich and arrogant that they have a butler to do such menial work for them) seems quite naive and even a tad idiotic to me.

  • coolbritannia #71 1 year ago

    Anyone praising Kinect in here is getting negged by the SDF, that's a great sign that M$ has really got it right this time.

  • mkreku #72 1 year ago

    Actually, I automatically neg people who use dumb phrases like "the SDF" or "Xbots".

  • Machiavellian #73 1 year ago

    That kinect will be like this some time down the road? That isn't a statement that can be backed by anything reasonably in my opinion right now. But, I would say that those who get it prior to good games come out are getting something that will just be gathering dust in the interim. No good games now should matter to people. It doesn't seem that big a deal.

    You keep harping on the good games bit with Kinect but you seem to be missing the point. The games are not good to you which is fine but then again out of the gate MS isn't targeting you with Kinect. The market MS is targeting is the very lucrative Teen/Mom/Kids market that has been very successful to the Wii. If Mom and the kids want Kinect, then mister hardcore dad who loves to kill stuff will get it (that would be me). Next they hit upon the party theme with Adventures and Sports which work great in those environment making those people want to replace their Wii with Kinect. Last but not least, you get those hardcore males at those parties finding themselves having fun with Kinect and forgetting that they only like to kill virtual stuff.

    Kinect doesn't appeal to you and you have stated it many times but your view of gaming is so narrow minded that I am sure you wouldn't understand there is a broader market then what you like.

    2.5 million in 25 days is a very good figure indeed and is surprising to me... but i do doubt its long term viability/interest for players.

    Isn't this the same statements that were made about the Wii. It continued to sell as well as sell ton of software. I stop trying to predict how Kinect or the Wii will sell because the audience seem content with the type of software coming out for the system.

  • Dave52 #74 1 year ago

    "The market MS is targeting is the very lucrative Teen/Mom/Kids market"

    I think you'll find it's the Teen/Mom/Kids/Gay market.

  • Machiavellian #75 1 year ago

    I think you'll find it's the Teen/Mom/Kids/Gay market.

    And your point is???

    You hate dance games and all your manly mates also hate them as well. I do not like dance games either but I also know many guys that do and they do not count as gay. If anything, I found they have a high success rate getting the hot woman because a lot of those hot woman love those types of games.

    I know this probably never occurred to you but there is a lot of men out their that like to dance. A lot of these men are not gay. There are also a lot of women who like men who know how to dance. If you and your manly mates were in a club, you probably would be going how together with your manly mates while those girly dancing men will be going home with the hot chick.

  • Dave52 #76 1 year ago

    "And your point is???"

    It was a joke, but you protest too much methinks....

  • Machiavellian #77 1 year ago

    "And your point is???"

    It was a joke, but you protest too much methinks....

    Jokes never come across in text very well so I thought you were sincere.

  • mcwildcard #78 1 year ago

    @Dizzy: Then you have to factor in dev costs for the games, which is pretty high in this gen, not to take into accoutn the extra efforts involved in developing for new tech.
    I stand by my original estimate.