GDC: 360 has sold 18m units worldwide - Schappert

Microsoft's GDC keynote speaker, John Schappert, says that Xbox 360 has now sold more than 18 million units worldwide.

"I think that we've sold 18 million, the last time I've checked. 18 million hardware units worldwide," he told our sister site Eurogamer in an interview published today.

He wouldn't be drawn on projections for the rest of the year.

Schappert also hinted strongly that Microsoft would be unlikely to bother with a Blu-ray drive precisely because the HD-DVD add-on sold poorly.

"We have no plans to announce anything like that right now. But I'd also urge you to look at the attach rate for the HD-DVD drive," he said.

When asked what he meant, he clarified: "It was a 3 percent attach rate...you also have to take into account how did the other accessory do when you look at the future."

Elsewhere in the interview, Schappert, who is corporate vice president of Live, Software and Services for Microsoft's Interactive Entertainment Business, said that the platform holder would fund more Xbox Live Arcade games itself.

The full interview can be read here.