PS3 wins the format war - says some analyst
When it comes to the next-generation console wars, one of the biggest factors that has been debated between the Xbox 360 and the Playstation 3, aside from the quality of games, has been the format wars. Blu-ray and HD-DVD both strive to become the dominant next generation movie standard but it’s still too early to discuss which console has picked the best one. Wedbush Morgan Securities has, however, released a report on the gaming industry for 2007 and beyond, expecting Blu-ray and the Playstation 3 to win out, but only just.
While noting that it is the “quality and quantity of content”, meaning what games are released on the console, analyst Michael Pachter notes that the high definition format war could also be a key factor in deciding who will dominate;
“Notwithstanding the efforts of the three console manufacturers to deliver compelling exclusive content, we expect the ultimate outcome of the console wars to be decided by the motion picture studios. Should the studios embrace Sony’s Blu-ray standard for high definition DVDs, we think Sony will gain an insurmountable advantage over Microsoft; should the studios embrace Sony rival Toshiba’s HD-DVD format, we think that Microsoft can maintain its first mover advantage and will dominate software sales for years to come.”
Beyond the statistics offered by the report, the findings fall to this;
“Ultimately, we see Sony ‘winning’ the console war with 36% of the market, with Nintendo ‘capturing’ second place at 34% and Microsoft finishing third at 30%. We believe that this is essentially a dead heat, and each manufacturer will have sufficient market share to generate significant profits. These estimates do not include market shares in Japan, which we expect to be dominated by Nintendo (51% through 2011) and Sony (44%).”
We should keep in mind that while this report focuses on a variety of things, it fails to take into account other attributes such as the relationship between Achievement Points on Xbox Live and new software such as Home coming to PS3. Funnily enough, this also happens to be a report that accepts there is never a clear winner and that all companies will have their own share of the market.
For all the nit and grit, visit GameDaily.com.
How bloody stupid. Was the last console war won because the PS2 played DVDs? No. It helped the initial take up, but ultimately the cost of dedicated DVD players (and the improved playback quality) overtook the PS2’s use as a DVD player before the installed base could count that as a significant factor.
Ultimately, the broad scope of games available for the PS2 and its recognised name in households after PS1, as well as a 19 month lead on its nearest competitor, is what won the last-gen war for Sony. This generation is shaping up to be *far* more interesting.
Damnit, need edit!
“Ultimately the *falling* cost of dedicated DVD players…”
its much easier to just own them all…
Sad that it my come down to a dvd format and not the quality of games.
It’s not true that it will, and these are market analysts that aren’t necessarily gamers. In the end it WILL be the quality of the console. But keep in mind that initial objective for the 360 and PS3 were different. Sony WERE trying to create a “home entertainment” centre as opposed to the Ultimate Gaming Machine. However Microsoft went out and produced a gaming machine and network that arguably is better supported than the PS3’s. I’ve no idea what this means for the future, but as a gamer I believe that currently the 360 has the market cornered… currently.
Analyst are real idiots. The PS3 will only win if they can show a real difference in their games versus the 360 games. Right now, their is no need for anyone to buy a PS3.
With FIOS spreading out the country, by the time the analyst predict a winner HD movies will be commonly downloadable. I guess he forgot about that. People that buy the PS3 are gamers first movie watchers second.
I disagree man. I don’t believe everyone that purchases a PS3 would indeed be a gamer. There must be some out there (especially in the US which I believe has one of the highest proportions of HD television sets) who would be purchasing the console for its ability to play Blu-ray discs. Though, I could be wrong.
Some of them maybe, but I would guess that if they had the money for a decent HD TV then they would probably opt for a dedicated player if they were not much of a gamer.
Wouldn’t be everyone but certainly the majority.