Microsoft officials today sent word that sales of the Xbox 360 console have more than doubled across Europe following the recent price cut on hardware. Last month, Microsoft dropped the Xbox 360 Arcade price by £40 to £159.99, the standard 360 to £199.99, and the Elite SKU to £259.99.

"Xbox 360 is truly the next-generation console of choice among consumers, and today's numbers are proof that we are delivering on our commitment to achieve critical mass in Europe," said Chris Lewis, Vice President, Microsoft Interactive Entertainment Business Europe. "The highly competitive ERP, coupled with entertainment content that's appealing to everyone in the home, makes Xbox 360 the ultimate high-definition entertainment choice, and it's clear that we're already seeing this resonate with consumers."

Microsoft claims that it's Xbox 360 is now "the number one next-gen console in EMEA, owning 42% of the market in terms of life-to-date revenue. Xbox 360 continues to enjoy the highest software attach rate of any game console in Europe with more than 7.0 games sold per console (PS3: 3.8; Wii 3.5) after 27 months on the market."

Many in the industry believe Europe will be a key battleground in the console wars. Microsoft corporate vp Jeff Bell has acknowledged Sony's brand strength in Europe, and leading publisher EA forecast back in February that Sony's PS3 will double or even quadruple sales of Xbox 360 in Europe.