Andre Yoskowitz
2 Mar 2007 20:03
According to the market research firm IDC, Nintendo's new Wii console will continue to outship and outsell the competition, Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3, throughout 2007 and 2008.
However, the firm does not see a clear cut winner anytime soon. The Xbox 360 enjoyed a year's head start over its competition and the Wii is selling very well, but even those factors leave no winner as the dominant console.
IDC had this to say in a statement: "IDC believes hardware shipments of Nintendo's Wii will capture a little more than a third of the worldwide market by 2008, rising slightly above Sony's PS3 and Microsoft's Xbox 360"
The firm then continued by observing that: "Nintendo is the only one of the three manufacturers working to grow its accessible market for its hardware and software by broadening its audience beyond the traditional market"
While Sony and Microsoft continue to strive for more powerful hardware and home entertainment packages, IDC feels that Nintendo will continue to keep capturing new consumers or those that would otherwise be afraid of more powerful, expensive systems.
The firm firmly believes that by leaving Sony and Microsoft to fight it out for the higher end market, the Wii will continue to penetrate the market.
Source:
Gamesindustry.biz