DFC: Wii to Dominate until 2008, PS3 to make comeback, 360 to 3rd, all by 2012

[Basil Zero]

Game-industry analyst firm predicts Microsoft's console to be a "distant third" to the Wii and a resurgent PS3; DS on track to be best-selling platform ever.

This week, market research and analyst firm DFC Intelligence released its latest report, titled "DFC Intelligence Forecasts Video Game Market to Reach $47 Billion by 2009." As the title suggests, the San Diego-based research firm thinks the worldwide game industry's worth will increase by $14 billion in the next two years from its estimated $33 billion 2007 worth.

In addition to its pan-platform market predictions, DFC also handicapped the three-way race between the most recent crop of consoles. It predicts that sales of all three systems--the PlayStation 3, Wii, and Xbox 360--will total between 180 and 210 million units by 2012. In the shorter term, DFC believes the Wii will continue its winning streak until at least the end of 2008, at which point the PS3 could start taking over.

"We could have a situation where the Wii sells more hardware units, but by 2012 the PlayStation 3 is generating more software revenue," said DFC analyst David Cole.

Cole also believes that although the battle is far from over, the Xbox 360 will likely be relegated to third place when the dust finally settles. He says Microsoft's dependence on the US and Canadian markets are hampering its efforts to make the console a worldwide phenomenon. "The Xbox 360 will need to build a strong base outside North America to avoid being in a fairly distant third," forecast Cole.

DFC analysts also looked at the portable market, predicting that handhelds generally and the DS in particular will continue to see strong growth. "Revenue from portable game software has more than doubled in recent years," said Cole. "We think that the Nintendo DS could eventually become the best-selling game system ever in five years."

The company also augured that the worldwide PC gaming market will be worth more than $13 billion by the year 2012.

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6178996...ewstop;title;9

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Please Discuss

[cal360]

360 3rd, I think it's the best console out and its online can never be beaten all it needs is a web browser. The PS3 will only become successful if they release some decent games for it and bring down the price of it. The wii should be doing good anyway, who would thought it would be healthy to play games now?

[ICE]

360's online can kiss my rear. im not paying for online. i already pay for my internet and so why do i have to pay to use it?

ps3 is the best console but the wii is still the publics easy favorite. i have a feeling this thing might be correct.

[brunobelo]

And what games do you play on your PS3? I mean, what GOOD games, BTW...

[luis_05]

well i read here the weekly reports wraggster puts up on consoles sold, and the wii and ds keep kicking a██ so its hard for me to imagine the PS3 will eventually dominate but hey anything can happen :-)

[DarthPaul]

I don't think the Wii will be first, it'll fall in a year or two. Nintendo is like, throwing all of their ideas in one shot. They will run out of ideas, the Wii will get boring. And when people realized that the Wii doesn't have Next-Gen potential, they will pee on it. Because all you can do with your Wii is play locally, it totally sucks playing online. Look, what games can you play online on Wii? Super Mario Strikers and Pokémon. Lol what the hell...?

About the 360, I totally agree that if they don't make it world-wide, it will suffer. All the sales of the 360 depends on America.

360's online can kiss my rear. im not paying for online. i already pay for my internet and so why do i have to pay to use it?

ps3 is the best console but the wii is still the publics easy favorite. i have a feeling this thing might be correct.

360's online is not free. But why is your question? Because good things in this world are not free. You're only paying $50 for a year,but I can guarantee that you'll have real fun. Sony's could be free, but there are no good games at the moment, so, what would you play online? All the good games of the 360, the great service, all the demos coming out for 360, etc..

But I'm talking about the present of course. With Warhawk, Resistance: Fall of Man the PS3 isn't so bad to play online. But in the future, with Metal Gear Solid Online, Killzone 2, Socom... it will kick ass. But still, the 360's will be better.

And what games do you play on your PS3? I mean, what GOOD games, BTW...

They're talking about the future, those are predictions my friend. Do you want me to name a few good games coming to the PS3?

I don't have to, you probably know..

[iceman100]

Lol why do people want sony to do good so badly? they don't even know how to make real games, and by 2009 if they haven't done anything sales wise they will pull the plug on it instead of going out of business.


ps3 is the best console????


the ps3 is the ugliest console next to the psp

[lipnox88]

I sat through n64 eventually being beaten by the ps1, and ps2's pure dominance. but realistically ps2 got lucky. the wii has taken the ps2's spot. im unsure how long that will last, but ps3 is supposed to be a 10 year run. **** that the ps3 is barely worth what its been around to do so far. but in the end my bias's aside. there so doubt in anyones mind the 360 has great games out, and coming out. and the wii is in the same cituation. the ps3 has good games we wont start seeing until the end of 2008 but the ps2 main dominance is the average gamer who picks up grand theft auto, some sports and racing. and touched the thing once a month. sad but true. its pretty obvious amoungst the market the ps3 sucks. will ps3 get better? will it matter? xbox was a new console and gamecube released some of the worst received versions of there main licenses. Predictions supporting the ps3 are dumb and pointless. reminds me back when everyone told me to wait for the psp cuzz nintendo was gunna go bankrupt soon because sony is better. wow now nintendo beats them with the DS and the Wii and sony makes a fool of itself. I think the ps3 has all the room in the world to recover. but I highly doubt it will be dominating anything anytime soon.

[DarthPaul]

Lol why do people want sony to do good so badly?

Because we love Sony, and we believe in them.

they don't even know how to make real games, and by 2009 if they haven't done anything sales wise they will pull the plug on it instead of going out of business.

They don't know to make real games, but Sony is not the only publisher/developer out there. 3rd party exists...

ps3 is the best console????

Yes, it is. The console itself, is better than the Wii and Xbox 360. But the games suck right now. And what a console without good games can do? Nothing.

the ps3 is the ugliest console next to the psp

Lol, and? The PS2 and SNES aren't that sexy and look at them.. the best consoles so far.

[ICE]

ps3 has the most power, features, and a not huge controller lol. true the games on 360 are better now but thats just because they have been out longer. ps3 itself is the superior console.

as for the 360's online service i stand by my statement. i dont feel that its worth it. if you do thats fine i just disagree