January Xbox sales hit 294,000

Microsoft sold 294,000 Xbox 360 video game consoles in January, a company executive said on Tuesday, citing preliminary research data. That is nearly 18 percent higher than the 250,000 units sold in the same month a year earlier, according to Molly O'Donnell, group manager for Microsoft's entertainment and devices division that oversees the Xbox 360.

O'Donnell was citing preliminary figures from market research firm NPD, which could not immediately be reached for comment. Microsoft's Xbox 360 competes with the PlayStation 3 from Sony and the Wii from Nintendo.