Xbox Live hits 46 million members

Microsoft’s console-focused entertainment service Xbox Live now has more than 46 million members worldwide, an 18% year-on-year increase, the firm said in its latest quarterly earnings report. 

Announcing its fiscal Q3 results, for the three months ending March 31, Microsoft said its Entertainment and Devices Division – which includes its Xbox assets, as well as Skype and Windows Phone – posted revenue of US$2.53 billion (€1.94 billion), up 56% on last year.

The division also includes the IPTV platform business Mediaroom, which Microsoft agreed to sell to Ericsson earlier this month.

Commenting at the time, Microsoft said the move would allow it to dedicate “all TV resources to Xbox in a continued mission to make it the premium entertainment service that delivers all the games and entertainment consumers want – whether on a console, phone, PC or tablet.”

Microsoft’s overall Q3 revenue stood at US$20.49 billion, while net income came in at US$6.06 billion – both up year-on-year. At the same time the company announced its chief finance officer Peter Klein will leave the company at the end of the current fiscal year, after nearly four years in role and 11 years at the company. Microsoft said it will name a new CFO in the next several weeks.