Xbox 360 hardware sales pass 80 million worldwide, Microsoft says

Microsoft has sold more than 80 million Xbox 360 consoles since its November 2005 launch, the company announced today. The milestone, Microsoft says, is based on internal sales data and includes hardware sold to retailers, instead of through to consumers.

The Xbox 360 hardware sales dwarf that of its predecessor, which sold more than 24 million units, but had a much shorter effective lifespan. The original Xbox first launched in November 2001 in North America.

Xbox 360 still has plenty of ground to gain before it surpasses the generation's bestselling console, Nintendo's Wii. According to Nintendo, the Wii has sold more than 100 million units as of June 30.

Microsoft's next-generation Xbox One goes on sale next month in North America and Europe, but the company has plans to drive Xbox 360 sales with a series of bundles this holiday.