By The epoch of console rivalries appears to be approaching its conclusion, yet one of its prominent figures, Peter Moore, who spearheaded the efforts during the launch of the Xbox 360, is reminiscing about his experiences on the gaming battlegrounds. Regarding the competition between the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, Moore indicates that 10 million was the pivotal figure–“You’ve got this flywheel effect … of [if] your friend in the playground possesses one, you better acquire one.”
In conversation with Eurogamer, Moore articulated that introducing the Xbox 360 to the marketplace prior to the PS3 was crucial for its robust performance, asserting that the initial 10 million sales were essential. “I believe it was extremely significant to launch it first,” Moore commented. “Kick off, build momentum, and target that 10 million installed base that I felt would provide us with an extraordinary advantage against whatever Sony might do to catch up.”
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He elaborated that having a base of 10 million installations fosters a network influence where a perception of social coercion could stimulate sales–“Suddenly, you feel out of place and like an outsider if you’re not attending school or college classes the following day, or even going to work and discussing what an amazing night we had playing Halo, or whichever game it happened to be.”
The Xbox 360 ultimately surpassed the PS3 in reaching 10 million sales, a milestone that was acknowledged in a 2008 announcement from Microsoft. Although the PS3 eventually outperformed the 360’s total sales by merely a few million, numerous gamers still see the Xbox 360 as the champion of that specific generation–unless you contemplate the remarkable triumph of the Nintendo Wii.
Moore became a significant figure in the infancy of the console rivalries after being recruited by Microsoft explicitly to assist the company in contesting Sony’s supremacy in the console arena. Moore has even previously stated that he advocated for the concept of console rivalries among his team, asserting that it nurtured constructive competition with Sony.
During the interview, Moore also remarks on how essential it was for Microsoft to develop Xbox into a robust, independent brand at a time when Microsoft was viewed as a “geeky” firm suited for the office, not the living room. Moore was a pivotal character in this branding transition, gaining notoriety for stunts where he would have game announcements literally tattooed on his skin, indicating part of his responsibility was to “be slightly irreverent.”
As of 2025, many within the industry regard the console wars as effectively concluded, as Microsoft is finally making its last formerly exclusive first-party franchises available on PlayStation with Halo: Campaign Evolved. The PS5 has recently surpassed the Xbox 360’s sales figures, signifying that every PlayStation console has officially outperformed every Xbox console, yet the conclusion of the console wars remains anything but definitive. Xbox continues to be a formidable gaming brand and aims to persist in dominating the software aspect of the industry, possessing many of the sector’s most prominent developers now under its umbrella.
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