Original URL: http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/02/05/ea_2008_console_sales_forecast/
Gaming megapublisher Electronic Arts officially predicts that Nintendo's Wii will be the highest selling gaming console in North America and Europe.
According to EA’s estimates, a combined total of between 12-14m Wiis will be sold in the two regions during 2008. This gives the console’s sales figures a significant lead over the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, which EA believes will sell between 9.5–11.5m and 6-8m respectively.
However, Europe is where Microsoft’s Xbox 360 sales will really be tested. EA expects just 1.5-2.5m gamers to fork out their cash for an Xbox 360, whereas the publisher believes around 5-6m people will splash some cash on a PS3. The old-school PS2 is the real loser worldwide though, because EA has predicted that Sony will only shift a measly 3.9-4.9m units during 2008.
Recent sales figures have already shown (http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/01/04/wii_to_beat_360/) that Nintendo shipped 13.2m Wiis worldwide by the end of September 2007, just slightly less than the 13.4m Xbox 360s sold by the same date.
Nintendo also looks set to take first place in the race to sell the most units of portable consoles worldwide. EA believes the company’s DS will sell around 14-16m units, whilst Sony’s rival PlayStation Portable (PSP) will only sell between 6-8m. However, sales of the slim’n’light PSP could be boosted by Sony’s addition of Skype (http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/01/30/psp_firmware_skype/), through a recent firmware update.
Linux goes Wii (27 February 2008)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/02/27/wii_linux/
PS3 won't beat Wii until 2011, forecasts analyst (15 February 2008)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/02/15/ps3_2011_domination_isuppli/
US hospitals launch Wiihabilitation (12 February 2008)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/02/12/wii_rehabilitation/
Pave your patio with... er, Game Boys (11 February 2008)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/02/11/gameboy_bricks/
Japanese gamers no longer delighted by DS Lite? (8 February 2008)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/02/08/japan_console_sales/
Big Blue talks up 45nm PlayStation 3 processor possibilities (8 February 2008)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/02/08/ibm_touts_45nm_cell/
Add-on maker punts Wii-styled speaker set (7 February 2008)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/02/07/4gamers_wii_speaker_system/
Nintendo patent profers wacky Wii add-ons (6 February 2008)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/02/06/nintendo_wii_remote_patents/
Xbox 360 Arcade announced for Japan (5 February 2008)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/02/05/xbox_360_arcade_japan_launch/
Cigarette ash proves a drag for Nintendo's Wii (4 February 2008)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/02/04/wii_super_smash_bros_brawl_clean/
PS3 capacity boost claims are claptrap, says Sony UK (30 January 2008)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/01/30/sony_denies_ps3_storage_rumours/
Nintendo sells 5m Wiis in Japan (23 January 2008)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/01/23/wii_passes_5m_in_japan/
Microsoft backpedals on Blu-ray for Xbox 360 comments (10 January 2008)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/01/10/microsoft_denies_hddvd_reuters_quote/