Microsoft Chief Financial Officer Chris Liddell has divulged that the attach rate for Xbox 360 is now at unprecedented level, proving the efficiency of the business plan they set in motion years ago.

For those not familiar with this term, the attach rate is the number of titles and accessories gamers purchase after buying a platform. More on this after the jump!

Just like what previous predictions hoped for, Microsoft's entertainment and devices division experienced a profitable fiscal quarter for the first time ever thanks to Bungie Studios' Halo 3 and better Microsoft Xbox 360 sales. Microsoft just revealed the numbers for the new fiscal year's first quarter which ended September 30, and showed that the 360 arm earned US$ 1.93 billion in revenue.

From the first week of Halo 3's release alone, US$ 330 million came in to help end the division's losing streak. Microsoft posted US$ 165 million in profit, dusting off last year's US$ 142 million worth of losses in the same quarter. Around 1.8 million Xbox 360 units were sold this time, unlike last year's 0.9 million.

For the first time since 1999, Microsoft enjoyed first-quarter revenue growth. Chief financial officer Chris Liddell commented, "Operating income growth of over 30% also reflects our ability to translate revenue into profits while making strategic investments for the future." During a conference call, he also said Microsoft is in a good position for this holiday season.

Microsoft's overall revenue reached US$ 13.8 billion - a 27% increase from last year. With Halo 3 still selling strong and a very exciting holiday waiting for Xbox 360 owners, it looks like the greenbacks will come in ample amount for the next few months. However, Microsoft is expecting profits all fiscal year long.

Last June, Microsoft cut their estimates of Xbox 360 sales from 13-15 million units to 12 million. But just last Thursday though, Microsoft announced that they had failed to meet this number and was only able to ship 11.6 million units.

The number isn't really devastating, compared to other manufacturers' losses. The Wii might overtake all of them though, having the highest increase in sales within the last few months. And considering the 360's 33% failure rate and the legendary "red ring of death" that prompted Microsoft not only to repair affected units but to extend its warranty by three years as well, a slight hitch in forecasted sales figures would be inevitable.

Chris Liddell, Chief Financial Officer for Microsoft, remains optimistic. He comments: "That is slightly shy [of our estimates but] we're happy with that number." Besides, with the holidays coming in and with E3 soon to come, the race between the next gen consoles isn't over yet.