Important console war update: Microsoft reveals how many Xbox 360s have been sold. And its quite a lot

Numbers. Got to love them. Especially big ones. Microsoft has got a big number for us today. The number is 70 million and it relates to the total Xbox 360 console sales to date. To recap: 70 million Xbox 360s have been sold since Microsoft launched the machine in November 2005. That's quite a big number.

Based on current available data, Microsoft’s big number puts Xbox 360 in second place in the console league table of sales, ahead of PlayStation 3 (63.9 million) but below Wii (96.5 million). Unless something completely mental happens (like we’re invaded by disagreeable extraterrestrials who demand all humans buy an Xbox 360 or else they'll disintegrate everyone with their advanced disintegration weapons), then Nintendo has already ‘won’ this console generation.

But the battle for Number Two is definitely on, with Sony’s recent push to excite consumers with new 500GB and 12GB PS3 slim models (as well as introducing a cut-price Essentials range of first and third party games) resulting in an impressive upsurge in sales. In response, Microsoft has announced price drops for Xbox 360 in Australia and North America, but nothing for the UK.

Microsoft’s big 70 million number was released as part of an earnings and financial report, which is available to peruse for anyone who feels inclined to do so. It's Friday. Go wild.

I don't have the energy to really hate anything properly. Most things I think are OK or inoffensively average. I do love quite a lot of stuff as well, though.