Despite Software Victory, Xbox 360 Attach Rate Remains Unchanged

With an attach rate of 8:1, Microsoft says it generated $408 million in software sales during November. But even though NPD showed that the month's top two titles, Gears of War 2 and Call of Duty 5, were Xbox 360 titles, this is the same attach rate the company reported last month. Microsoft highlighted its revenue-generating power for third-party developers; Notably, Epic's Gears 2, which took the top spot in unit sales, is an Xbox 360 exclusive. Microsoft says it drummed up $298 million in game sales for third parties, and more retail revenue for those developers than both the dominant Wii and the PlayStation 3 combined. Support for third parties continues to be a complex issue in the console wars, and Microsoft's position has always been that the console with the highest third-party affinity is the victor in any console generation. Sony has garnered criticism in the past from developers challenged by its architecture, while all of the Wii's top-selling games are Nintendo's own. An exclusive Gamasutra analysis last month demonstrated that, indeed, the attach rate for third-party games specifically on Xbox 360 in its first 23 months on the market was 5.2:1, compared to the PlayStation 3's 4.4:1 and the Wii's 3.1:1. "We have the largest library of games, TV, and movie content and the most expansive and rewarding social experiences. We’re confident Xbox 360 will continue to drive record sales around the world this holiday and beyond," Microsoft's Interactive Entertainment Business senior VP Don Mattrick said yesterday, in the company's response to the NPD numbers.