Xbox 360 on course to ship 12 million by the end of the year

American Technology Research analyst PJ McNealy claims the Xbox 360 shortages are coming to an end and the console is on target to ship 12 million units by the end of the year.

After a problematic launch, which saw console shortages in North America and Europe, it would seem that stock is now beginning to become more readily available across the US.

"We surveyed 125 retailers late last week, and 21 percent had at least one Xbox 360 Core ($299 version) console in stock," wrote American Technology Research analyst PJ McNealy. "Most also reported receiving shipments last week and are now seeing a relatively steady flow after stock-outs abounded for most of December and January."

According to McNealy "inventory is expected to flow better in late February, and by late March inventory levels should be consistently filled." This adds up to good news for Microsoft, with American Technology Research estimating that six million Xbox 360 units will ship by June, rising to 10-12 million units by the end of the year. With recent reports of delays to the launch of the PlayStation 3, possibly pushing its release back until Q4 or later, a head-start of around 10 million units is not to be sniffed at.