New numbers about the console market are available. Q1 2001 has been very good for the market.
The $6bn US video games market grew 18 per cent in unit shipments and 5 per cent in sales value in Q1, compared with the same period last year. But growth was patchy across product lines. |
Console sales were up 146 per cent in unit terms year on year and 49 per cent in dollar value, market research firm NPD reports. The market was driven by the increased availabity for Sony Playstation 2 and by the great Sega Dreamcast fire sale. All in all the market looks very promising, what with the launch of Nintendo Game Boy Advance in June, and Nintendo GameCube and Microsoft X-Box launches coming down the line.
But as NPD's Richard Ow points out, it's great games what shift hardware. He is waiting on this year's E3 to see what the software game publishers have in store.
We all know of the PS2 problems in the past, for example reported here and here, so I can imagine the market grows now. I wonder what it will do when MS launches the X-Box.
Source: The Register
