Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo will sell nearly 200 million next generation games consoles by 2012, according to a report by the global research and consulting company Strategy Analytics. The report predicts that within this time frame Sony will sell 121.8 million PS3s worldwide, Microsoft will sell 58.8 million Xbox 360s and Nintendo will sell 18 million Revolution consoles. Cumulative retail revenues for all consoles over this period are predicted to exceed $47 billion.
The report also predicts that although the Microsoft Xbox 360 will challenge Sony's dominance of the games console market and lead the North American and European markets until 2007, the PlayStation 3 will eventually pull ahead if Sony ensures that its online experience and near-video quality visuals match or exceed the Xbox 360. Meanwhile, the report notes that Sony intends to use the PS3 to help establish Blu-ray Disc and the Cell processor as mass market technologies and that Microsoft has similar intentions.
"The Xbox 360 represents one of Microsoft's best hopes of controlling the digital home," said David Mercer, Principal Analyst at Strategy Analytics. "The 2005 holiday season will be a make-or-break time not only for the Xbox 360, but also for Microsoft's wider digital home strategy."
The report also predicts that although the Microsoft Xbox 360 will challenge Sony's dominance of the games console market and lead the North American and European markets until 2007, the PlayStation 3 will eventually pull ahead if Sony ensures that its online experience and near-video quality visuals match or exceed the Xbox 360. Meanwhile, the report notes that Sony intends to use the PS3 to help establish Blu-ray Disc and the Cell processor as mass market technologies and that Microsoft has similar intentions.
"The Xbox 360 represents one of Microsoft's best hopes of controlling the digital home," said David Mercer, Principal Analyst at Strategy Analytics. "The 2005 holiday season will be a make-or-break time not only for the Xbox 360, but also for Microsoft's wider digital home strategy."