Microsoft just announced that the Xbox 360 has sold over 10 million units in the U.S., and claimed it "the first current-generation gaming console" to do so. Microsoft further announced that the U.S. install base contributes to global sales of over 19 million, which is "more than any other current-generation console."

Uh, small problem: that last bit is dead wrong.

Nintendo's Wii has sold much more than 19 million and did so back in April. 6 million more units to be roughly exact; 26 million and counting.

"Good point, and we apologize for any confusion," Microsoft told GameDaily.com (among others), after a grilling on the dubious claim. And here's the chuckler: what Microsoft meant to say was Xbox 360 has the largest global install base "of any current gen, high definition gaming console," insisting that since Microsoft (and Sony) makes a high-definition game console, only high definition game consoles count. "So essentially, Microsoft isn't counting the Wii, because it's not really truly 'next gen.'" In other words, if you can't beat 'em, pretend they're not there. Yikes, just you and me, Sony. Nice Blu-ray, by the way. Really truly.

Though glorious foot-in-mouth statements are usually Sony's domain ("the console wars are over! No, wait, the console wars don't start until we say they start! No, wait... hey, where'd everybody go?"), Microsoft now has at least one Hillarymoment that ranks, and it ranks somewhere between "my left hand is the best left hand I ever had" and "we've sold more Xbox 360s than any other manufacturer of game consoles with an X on it!" and maybe just ahead of "elephant in the room? What elephant in the room? Oh, you mean that old elephant in the room" but behind "here, hold my beer, I'll go see if that grizzly is sleeping."

Interestingly, Microsoft is mum on other regional sales figures, such as Canada, where Xbox 360 trailed Wii according the latest available NPD data (both near the one million mark), and overseas, where Sony just claimed usurpage with 5 million PlayStation3s sold in EMEA (Microsoft claims those numbers are bogus, but offered no comparative stats).

Still, discounting Wii and the Emperor's New Clothes, 10 million is a heck of a milestone. Maybe even an omen: "History has shown us that the first company to reach 10 million in console sales wins the generation battle," said Don Mattrick, senior vice president of the Interactive Entertainment Business in the Entertainment and Devices Division at Microsoft, who presumably hopes nobody mentioned that to Nintendo.

Total US sales of Nintendo Wii "really truly" sits at 8.8 million, despite being available a full year less than Xbox 360. Analysts predict Wii will surpass Xbox 360 US in total hardware sales this June.