The Xbox 360 may have lost its title as the fastest-selling home console in Australia to the Nintendo Wii, but that hasn't stopped local Microsoft execs from touting the machine's success. Australia's top Xbox executive, Microsoft's David McLean, says the 360 is well ahead of its last-gen competitors at this stage of its life cycle, and is well poised to take on its next-gen challengers.

　　In an interview with GameSpot AU (read the full transcript here), McLean--Microsoft Home and Entertainment Division Regional Director for Australia and New Zealand--said the 360 had sold 145,000 units in its first 45 weeks of sale down under, with a current attach rate of 4.8 games per console. McLean says the 360 is well ahead of where Sony's PlayStation 2 was at the same stage. The PS2 was first released in Australia in 2000, and has sold 2.2 million units so far.

　　"We launched 45 weeks ago [in Australia]. In the PS2's first 45 weeks, they sold 116,000 units. In our first 45 weeks, we sold 145,000 units. So if you think about momentum and moving from that to a situation of 2.2 million units over time, we feel we're on track. We're ahead of where our competitors were at this stage of the life cycle," he said.

　　"At this point in my competitor's life cycle [for the PS2], their attach rate was 2.5 units of software per console, according to GfK Australia. At that time, they had their major franchises out in the market. Grand Theft Auto 3, Gran Turismo 3 and Metal Gear Solid 2 were available. Our attach rate is currently running at 4.8-–we've just released Gears of War, we've got some heavy hitting titles coming this year with Halo 3, Grand Theft Auto IV, and Crackdown. We're extremely confident that we'll see our attach rate grow at an accelerated rate."

　　Despite the bullish outlook, McLean did confirm that internal forecasts for 360 sales in Australia to the end of June 2007 were being lowered in line with the software giant's global outlook. As part of its last earnings report, Microsoft said it was targeting 12 million units sold by the end of June, down from an earlier forecast of 13-15 million. McLean declined to disclose a specific forecast for the Australian market.

　　"Typically we don't talk about numbers for individual regions, but we are a part of that global number," he said. "I think it's a good decision for us as a business to make. It's focusing on the right things--being profitable, focusing on great software and accessories attach, focusing on providing new services and experiences for our gamers and creating a healthy ecosystem around Xbox 360."