Microsoft on Thursday reported earnings for the quarter ended March 31, announcing that the company shipped (i.e. sold to retailers) 1.6 million Xbox consoles, which includes Xbox 360 and Xbox One, during the period. This compares to a combined shipment tally of 2 million consoles during the same period last year.
Total Xbox shipments have now fallen for a second straight quarter, as Microsoft moved 6.6 million combined Xbox consoles during the all-important holiday season this year, compared to 7.4 million during the same quarter the year prior.
Microsoft’s Computer and Gaming Hardware division, which houses the Xbox business, saw its revenue fall $72 million, or 4 percent.
The company attributed the downturn primarily to “lower revenue from Xbox Platform,” but offset by higher revenue from Microsoft’s Surface line.
Xbox Platform revenue itself decreased $306 million or 24 percent; as mentioned above, total console volume fell by 20 percent. Microsoft also noted that the lower price of the Xbox One in the quarter compared to the same period a year prior further led to the decline.
Cost of revenue for Microsoft’s Computer and Gaming decision decreased, led by a $265 million (27 percent) decline in Xbox Platform cost of revenue. This was driven by a lower volume of units shipped and a lower cost per console sold, Microsoft said.
It wasn’t all bad news for Microsoft this quarter, however. Microsoft reports that Xbox Live and other store revenue increased by $144 million, or 32 percent, compared to last year. This was driven by an increase in Xbox Live users and revenue per user, the company said.
For Microsoft overall, the company posted $21.7 billion in revenue, up from $20.4 billion during the same quarter last year. Meanwhile, profit for the quarter was $4.9 billion, down from $5.6 billion last year.
Microsoft will hold an earnings call later today to discuss these results and answer analyst questions. Check back later for more.
Mason Cohen, 14, left, and Miller Croke, 14, at the Bay Street Theater in Sag Harbor, April 1, 2015. The pair are holding a Minecraft tournament at the theater in May. (Credit: Gordon M. Grant)
When the Bay Street Theater in Sag Harbor wanted to plan a Minecraft computer game competition for tweens and teens, theater staff went straight to the source for help — two 14-year-old gamers from the East End will run Sunday’s faceoff, which Bay Street hopes will also draw spectators.
Eighth-graders Mason Cohen of Sag Harbor and Miller Croke of Southampton have constructed a Minecraft battle…
Everyone has known for a long time that Minecraftis much, much too violent. It would be best for everyone if all the action and survival elements within the game were just removed in favor of a more welcoming and happy enviroment. Luckily Mojang agrees, as they’ve just released the patch notes for 1.10. It’s named “The Love and Hugs Update” and it does just the things I’ve mentioned above. Also, “Rabbits are fluffy.” Indeed, Mojang. Indeed.
Mojang’sDinnerbone took to the Mojang blog to announce the studio’s plans for this now available snapshot. It’s surprising that he was able to post it at all, considering how it gave him a privilege over the other members of the Mojang team and thus did not support their efforts to create equality. Well, I guess we have to acknowledge that Mojang still has a long ways to go:
“We are in a very unique position to make a difference to the world and we have decided to accept this new role in society. We’ve thought long and hard about this, but we finally feel happy to announce that we are now changing the general direction of the game Minecraft. Starting from the next update we will be focusing on the things that make life worth living, promoting healthy relationships with the environment and its inhabitants.”
Here are just a few highlights from Mojang’s 1.10 update patch notes. You can read the full notes for the patch over on Mojang’s official blog:
We have removed the ability to directly harm other creatures. You should be rewarded for helping, not hurting.
Added a new “Love” meter. This fills up the more you help others, and others help you.
“Survival” mode has been renamed to “Existence”.
“Monsters” are no longer named as such. The preferred term is “Inhabitants”, as they live in this world just like you or me.
Steve and Alex have realized that the inhabitants are not evil, and just want to hug and get along.
Lava has been replaced with liquid cheese. It’s delicious and much safer!
Horses can no longer be ridden as this was deemed unfair to the horses.
In compensation to the horses, they can now ride on your shoulders.
It’s good to see that everyone is now on the same page in the Minecraftuniverse, with all animals and Steves equal in the eyes of their creators.
Anyone who hasn’t already realized that this is Mojang’s April Fools’ Joke should probably go back over those patch notes again. Besides, everyone knows that the next major patch will be Microsoft turning the game free-to-play and enabling microtransactions for most in-game actions. Oof, that joke’s probably a little too on-the-nose, isn’t it? Love and hugs, everybody. Remember love and hugs.
As of tomorrow, you will be able to collect the first issue of The Builders Guide to Minecraft, from your local newsagent. $8.95 will get you 80 pages devoted to unearthing the ins-the-outs of the world’s most popular game.
Whether your new to this empire of dirt or your a seasoned digger with a diamond pickaxe, The builders guide to Minecraft has tips, tricks and tutorials on how to get the most out of this open-world sandbox.
Articles that detail the 15 most interesting Mojang updates since launch (including all the comical side effects of certain patches) and guides for working your way out of the Nether region, will give you a grasp on the underpinnings and intricacies of Minecraft.
“The versatility of Minecraft is fundamental to what makes the game so great”, said the mag’s Editor-in-Chief Paul Taylor, “and keeping on top of the modified maps and best online servers gives all players the best chance they have of getting the most out of the game. The Builders Guide to Minecraft is intended to cover all the latest developments and must-know features for any level of player, from total beginner to veteran crafter.”
Following Future Publishing’s release of The Ultimate Guide to Minecraft late last year, the new Builders Guide to Minecraft will be available in selected Big W, Target, Caltex and Coles Express stores and over 2,000 Newsagents Australia wide.
With a record-breaking 500 million votes cast from kids around the world, Saturday’s 28th Annual Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards in L.A. was a slime-filled spectacle honoring fan favorites including winners Jennifer Lawrence, SpongeBob SquarePants, One Direction and Nick Jonas.
Hosted by recording artist/actor and newly crowned KCA winner for favorite male singer Nick Jonas, the awards ceremony dished out orange blimps across 21 categories in film, TV, music, video games and books.
Winners were also announced in four new categories— favorite talent competition show, favorite family TV show, most addicting game and favorite new artist—plus a special live vote was held and won by the cast of Nick’s live-action comedy The Thundermans.
With seven million live votes, The Thundermans beat the casts of Bella and the Bulldogs and Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn and received the honor of taking part in the KCA’s first-ever human slime car wash.
Nickelodeon once again leveraged its multiplatform reach by letting fans vote across Nick.com, the The Nick App on iOS, Kindle and Android mobile devices, and via Nick’s Twitter feed and Facebook page.
Nick Digital platforms also provided exclusive real-time updates and photos from the orange carpet and backstage.
Jennifer Lawrence’s star continues to shine as the A-lister won the favorite female action star award for the second year in a row and her latest Hunger Games film, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 snapped up the KCA for favorite movie.
However, Lawrence didn’t repeat as favorite movie actress. That title was taken this year by The Amazing Spider-Man 2‘s Emma Stone.
Disney snapped up the favorite animated movie award for its Oscar-winning Big Hero 6, the highest-grossing animated film of 2014.
In the television category, long-running Nickelodeon animated series SpongeBob SquarePants won favorite cartoon just as it did last year, and Disney Channel’s Austin & Ally had a big night with three wins—favorite kids TV show, favorite TV actor (Ross Lynch) and favorite TV actress (Laura Marano).
New TV awards went to The Voice for favorite talent competition show and Modern Family for favorite family TV show.
Despite the recent dramatic exit of member Zayn Malik, fans continued to show their love for boy band One Direction, voting them favorite music group for the third year in a row.
Girl group Fifth Harmony won for favorite new artist while the always popular Selena Gomez grabbed the favorite female singer KCA after winning it last year, too.
Rounding out the awards, the phenomenally successful interactive property Minecraft was voted most addicting game, and favorite book went to the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series.
Microsoft said it will not interfere with Mojang’s plans for its upcoming “Minecraft” convention dubbed as Minecon 2015.
The tech giant noted that the event will serve as a great opportunity to learn more about the “Minecraft” community, according to Venture Beat.
After Mojang was acquired by Microsoft in September of last year, followers of the studio and its game worried that the parent company might make significant changes to the firm’s operations.
They also feared that the annual Minecon events might no longer happen since Microsoft stages its own conventions for its properties and games. But according to the company, it has no plans of restricting Mojang activities especially when it comes to connecting with its supporters.
“We’re extremely thankful for our passionate community of players, builders, and content creators whi have made ‘Minecraft’ the global phenomenon it is today,” a Microsoft representative said in a statement.
“It was important to us to help where needed but let Mojang carry on the tradition of Minecon as a meaningful celebration of the ‘Minecraft’ community,” the spokesperson added.
For Microsoft, letting Mojang continue its annual events is a helpful way for the company to connect with “Minecraft” fans. This has been the company’s goal ever since it became the owner of the Swedish video game development studio.
As to what attendees could expect for the upcoming event, Microsoft didn’t reveal the details of Mojang’s plans but said the upcoming Minecon will still feel like the previous conventions.
“Mojang is planning some new surprises, but attendees can expect the same great experience and authentic Minecon experience as past events,” the company spokesperson said.
The two-day Minecon 2015 event will take place on July 4 and 5 and will be held at the Excel London Exhibition and Conference Center in the London Borough of Newham, IGN reported. Tickets for the event will be sold this Friday and Saturday and can be purchased through the Minecon page.
