Microsoft believes that Xbox 360 games are outselling and outplaying the competition. If they had added outwit they could have joined the next Survivor cast.

Their response to the May NPD results was to boast sales of the Xbox 360 version of Grand Theft Auto IV, which beat the other platform (the PS3 if you are not keeping up) version by 2:1 with 871 000 copies sold in May.

Microsoft went on quote a report by Nielson which stated that “among 10 – 26 year olds, Xbox 360 gets on average over twice the game play as the Wii with younger gamers, likely due to a record software attach and a blockbuster gamers library.” The report went on to state that gamers spend roughly 75 hours playing games per month in comparison to 35 hours for the Wii and 53 hours for the PS3 for the same time period.

The Xbox 360 install base is now more than 19 million worldwide, with 187 000 units sold in the US in May and a software attach rate of 7.7. Total consumer spending on the 360 for May resulted in $214 million worth of game sales while life-to-date sales on the 360 tops $9.9 billion.

More third party games are sold for the Xbox 360 than any other console with $110 million in games sales recorded for May. 59% of third party games sold have been for the Xbox 360 this generation. In addition of the top 25 top selling third party frnachises, 21 are best-sellers on the Xbox 360.

Microsoft ended off by citing their line-up of games including Gears of War 2, Fable 2, Banjo & Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts, Viva Piñata 2 and Too Human. “We still have quite a few aces left up our sleeve; see you at E3 next month!”