TOKYO: Sony Computer Entertainment's next-generation PlayStation 3 gaming device will outsell rival Nintendo's Wii by the end of 2007, in spite of the company postponing the launch of the device in Europe, according to a research group, which has carried out a study.
Enterbrain, a Japanese research outfit focused on video gaming industry, said in spite of the delays in its launch, the console will defy market consensus and could overtake Nintendo's Wii in sales by end of 2007.
The research group said PS3 sales can surge within reach of the critical ten million units within a year of release.
Sony is planning to release the gaming device in November along with Nintendo, which will introduce Wii around the same time.
Enterbrain said cumulative sales through the end of March 2007 will total 4.13 million units for the PS3 and 5.47 million for the Wii. But, PS3 sales will top the Wii's by the end of 2007 as more software becomes available and because further price reductions can be expected.
Microsoft Xbox 360, released in late 2005, though not very popular in Japan, has its sales growing in the U.S. and Europe, which are predicted to reach 17.46 million units by the end of 2007. As PS3 will gain a walkover over Wii, it will be better positioned to take on Xbox360, Enterbrain said.
Meanwhile, gaming store GameStop in the U.S. said it had officially stopped taking pre-orders for the Wii by the end of Friday, 13 October, the day when pre-orders first became available.
GameStop said unlike Sony, which had disclosed the pre-order availability of PS3 at each of the GameStop and EBGames stores a couple of days prior to booking date, Nintendo has not confirmed the numbers available. Each EBGames and GameStop store will reportedly receive between eight and 16 PS3 units, all of which have already been claimed by eager customers who put down a $100 deposit last week.
Several people have put in reservation slips from GameStop/EBGames on eBay for auction at high price premium.
