Game Sales Figures To Improve Throughout Decade

IGN is reporting that according to a recent report, gaming sales figures will contribute significantly to entertainment industry figures through 2009. From the article: "The report cautions that these projections are highly dependent on the success of the next-generation gaming consoles to be introduced by Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo. The embedded online capabilities expected in the next-generation consoles as well as the global growth in broadband capabilities should also provide a significant boost to online gaming, according to the PWC report."

Comments

I disagree

[ludomancer]

I've been a gamer for 25 years, and this next generation of consoles will be the first time I'm not really going to buy any. The prices of the systems are too high, and I feel the $60 price tag is a load of crap, quite frankly. (One look at the profits gained by the larger studios pushing this price raise and I think you'll agree it's unnecessary).
In addition to this, one trip to Fry's, or most other stores that carry games, and I see more used/bargin-bin games for $10-$20 than I have ever seen in the history of gaming. The market is completely over-saturated with titles.
I think these arguments combined will ring true with a lot of people paying closer attention, and I foresee a more rapid fallout similar to the one that Hollywood is experiencing right now. You can't run an industry on bullshit and effects (for too long).
We should really remember that this industry collapsed once already during the mid-80's, and many things seem to be repeating themselves.

Re:I disagree

[Shadarr]

Based on your comments, I would guess you're ignoring Nintendo. You're hamstringing yourself by doing so. The Revolution controller will create entire new genres of games that we've never played before, and add new twists to existing genres. It will likely lead to RTS's being viable on a console for the first time ever.

Obviously, Nintendo is not the market leader and doesn't really want to be. The success of the Revolution will not stop the crash if the PS3 and 360 both tank. Which could very well happen, because I completely agree with you that there has never been a less compelling next generation. That's just the business side. For gamers, the future isn't that dim. There are a lot of neat things emerging on the DS, and I expect the same to happen with the Revolution. Sure, Madden '06 isn't worth buying, but if you want to play football just load up 2K5. That's what I do.

The XBox and PS lines are going to suffer from the same thing that's killing PC gaming: genre fatigue. The latest iterations in established genres are going to become less and less compelling. That doesn't mean gaming is dying. It just means you need to try out something new.