Microsoft's decision to split its new generation of Xbox consoles into two separate devices might have been somewhat unprecedented, but it wasn't entirely without merit. By targeting two disparate gaming niches with the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S - one hardcore, the other more casual - Microsoft has managed to nudge its gaming IP into more positive limelight, and the decision seems to be paying off.Namely, it seems that Xbox Series consoles have outsold PlayStation 5 in Japan in the span of a week, and by a fairly substantial margin. What's more interesting, though, is that the Xbox Series S seems to be leading the charge by a huge amount, having sold more than twice as many units as PS5 in the same timespan.Famitsu has reported that in the week of May 9-15, Microsoft managed to move 6,120 Xbox Series S consoles, while Sony sold a grand total of 2,963 PlayStation 5 devices. It's worth pointing out, too, that the number of PS5s sold includes both disc and digital versions, while the admittedly minuscule number of sold Series X consoles (just over 100) wasn't a major consideration in this respect. This disparity can be explained by the consistently updated and upgraded Game Pass, which is a digital-only service and a perfect fit for the Series S.
Naturally, a major role is played by the ongoing PlayStation 5 supply shortages, though virtually all gaming devices are affected by it to some extent. As other Twitter users have pointed out, there might not have been enough PS5s to go around in the given week, and the Series S is a comparatively affordable and flexible alternative. Especially compared to the Series X, which is bulkier, more expensive, and possibly perceived as a less desirable option.
Even though Game Pass is bound to be playing a major role in the Xbox Series' recent successes, not everyone is thrilled with the service. The cult indie classic Furi won't get DLC on Xbox due to the game not being eligible for a Game Pass promotion at this time. To that end, while the new DLC will launch on all other platforms the game's released on, Xbox players won't have a chance to play it.
There's also the recent Xbox Live outage to consider, which left a huge number of users effectively unable to play the vast majority of their games at all. While it's unlikely that Microsoft would let something like that happen again in the short term, it might be worth keeping in mind as digital game ownership continues to rise alongside digital-only consoles, such as the hugely successful Series S.