Regional VP of the EMEA home and entertainment division Chris Lewis spoke to MCV  following news that the Seattle giant had reduced its forecast for Xbox 360 sales to the end of June to 12 million (from 13-15 million).

“There are no plans [for a cut],” he said. “We’re offering outstanding value and choice – especially when you compare us to our soon-to-be competitor.”

Whilst boasting of “a great Christmas”, which has notched up the PAL shipment-to-date figure to 3.1m, Lewis admitted that Microsoft is slightly more “cautious” about sales in the second half of its fiscal year.

“We looked at three things before we made this adjustment: the historical seasonality of sales during the period, the pricing of the product and inventory levels that we have already sold to retailers,” he offered. “We are taking a more cautious view of the market and our second half revenue, and console guidance reflects this.”

And Lewis took a further swipe at his rival when asked for his thoughts on Sony’s European launch plans.

“I’ve given up trying to keep up with what Sony is announcing or not announcing,” he said. “Sony will launch and sell out their limited quantities. And consumers will try to figure out if the addition of unproven technology is worth the £200 premium over Xbox 360."