Analyst predictions

Piper Jaffray, US 2006 hardware estimates, made March 2006.

[1], by way of sonycowboy

Here's a estimate by Piper Jaffray for 2006, along with last years numbers:

System Estimate (LY)

1) PS2 4.5M (5.5M)

2) Xbox 0.75M (2.25M)

3) GCN 0.5 (1.87M)

4) 360 5M (0.6M)

5) PS3 0.75M (---)

6) Rev 0.5M (---)

7,8) GBA / DS 5.5M ( 4.2M / 2.6M) (Estimate is a combined total)

9) PSP 4.5M (3.7M)

SFG Research, North American and worldwide hardware estimates through 2010, made January 2007

[2]

As the numbers given are cumulative, I'm putting in parentheses what just that year would be.

The cumulative NORTH AMERICAN sales for each platform are as follows:

Xbox 360

2006: 6.0m

2007: 12.7m (6.7m)

2008: 19.5m (6.8m)

2009: 24.9m (5.4m)

2010:  29.4m (4.5m)

PlayStation 3

2006: 0.5m

2007: 7.6m (7.1m)

2008: 13.8m (6.2m)

2009: 19.5m (5.7m)

2010:  24.2m (4.7m)

Nintendo Wii

2006: 2.0m

2007: 5.3m (3.3m)

2008: 8.6m (3.3m)

2009: 11.4m (2.8m)

2010:  13.5m (2.1m)

The cumulative WORLDWIDE sales for each platform are as follows:

Sony PlayStation 3

2006: 1.0m

2007: 19.5m (18.5m)

2008: 35.5m (16.0m)

2009: 50m (14.5m)

2010: 62m (12m)

Xbox 360

2006: 10m

2007:  20.5m (10.5m)

2008: 30.5m (10.0m)

2009: 39m (8.5m)

2010: 46m (7.0m)

Nintendo Wii

2006: 4.0M

2007: 10.5m (6.5m)

2008: 16.5m (6.0m)

2009:  21.5m (5.0m)

2010: 25.0m (3.5m)

Research and Markets, worldwide sales overview, made January 2007.  Fuller details only if you pay.

[3]

Highlights of this title:

Key drivers are spurring the adoption of video games both online and offline. Broadband penetration is prompting the consumption of online material and the use of online social media. Demographics are also shifting with the average gamer being around 33 years old.

The PlayStation 3, Wii and Xbox 360, dubbed the next generation of consoles, each hold a unique position with regard to console offerings. While Sony and Microsoft aim towards increased functionality as a key driver for adoption, Nintendo look for innovative game play and the elusive fun factor.

The Sony PlayStation 3 is expected to win the console war in the long term with an install base of around 75 million globally by 2010. The console is not expected to dominate as much as its predecessor, the PS2, due to late launch issues in the PAL region and the early lead of Microsofts Xbox 360.

Merrill Lynch, regional and worldwide end share predictions, made November 2006

[4]

"The winner in the next-generation console battle is likely to be the Xbox 360, which is the leader in North America, the world’s biggest market," said Yoshiyuki Kinoshita, research analyst for Merrill Lynch.

"We forecast respective market shares at end-FY3/11 of Xbox 360 [at] 39 percent, PS3 [at] 34 percent and Wii [at] 27 percent, thus overturning Sony’s domination of the market with its PS2-based share of 69 percent, and doubling Microsoft and Nintendo’s respective market shares."

The firm further predicts that in Japan, Sony will take the lead with a 57 percent market share, while Nintendo will take the bulk of the rest at 39 percent of the market. Figures for Xbox were not supplied.

In North America, Microsoft will hold the lead with 50 percent of while Sony and Nintendo will follow with 27 and 23 percent, respectively.