New Data indicates Global Console Business to Drop by 19%; PS3 is the Most Played Gaming Console

If Strategy Analytics is to be believed, the global TV games console business is expected to fall by 19% in 2012, reflecting a downward trend across the globe. While Sony’s PlayStation 3 is claimed to be the most actively played gaming console (topping its major rivals- Xbox and Wii), even Nintendo with its spanking-new Wii U shall be a victim of the downward trend.
If these predictions are accurate, the next-gen console technology might arrive sooner than expected. It can also indicate a switch to newer formats.
The report also adds that the Xbox 360 caters to a wider audience since more consumers are purchasing the Microsoft-made console not just for gaming functions- but also for non-gaming functions. Last, the Xbox 360 sales beat that of the PS3 worldwide in spite of its relative weakness outside US. However, Sony’s PS3 remains a bit more popular than the Xbox 360- atleast among core gamers- with around 44% of PS3 users who claimed to use the console at least once a week, against the 40% of Xbox 360 users and 30% of Wii users who claimed to do the same.
Today, it is not possible judge the leader of the console market simply on the basis of sales figures- although Nintendo’s Wii has made the highest sales cumulatively, Sony and Microsoft have made huge advances in cross-platform integration and online game distribution that engages users more thoroughly and provides a solid foundation to take forward the console war of the future.