Reuters is reporting more Microsoft claims of Xbox 360 shipping hugeness over what our Mercan colonists call, “The Holidays”.

"This holiday, we expect to have sold in excess of 10 million units worldwide," a Microsoft spokeswoman is reported as claiming.

According to the news-wire, “That ‘sold’ number refers to units ‘sold into retail’”, this does not mean Xbox 360s actually flogged to gamers because it also takes into consideration units in transit and in store inventories.

Reuters continues, “Microsoft has previously forecast global shipments of 10 million by the end of 2006, as well as shipments of 15 million by the end of its 2007 fiscal year that ends June 30. The company's latest Xbox 360 shipment count stands at around 6 million units."

Microsoft Chief Financial Officer Chris Liddell spoke at a Nasdaq investor conference in London on Tuesday and his presentation included a statistic showing that theXbox 360 has now out-sold the original Xbox, which launched in November 2001.

It showed that more than 5.7 million Xbox 360 units has been shipped in the three quarters following the launch period, compared with 4.7 million Xbox units in the same post-debut period.

All these numbers flying around the place – including for example, Nintendo’s recent figures of one Wii sold every second in the USA since launch – are making our heads ache. Do you actually care about this sort of corporate willy-waving? Tell us in the forum by posting below.