Consoles ain't sellin' like they used to

According to a recent market research report, shipments of videogame consoles will only reach 19.3 million units this year.  That doesn't sound to shabby, but when compared to 2003's 35 million units, it's a significant decline.  So what gives?

Apparently, most gamers are hungry for the next best thing, so despite the overwhelming number of quality games this season, sales of actual consoles have dwindled—and will likely remain that way until the next-gens hit the streets.  The report also predicts that market positions will remain in place once the new consoles are available, even though Microsoft is planning to launch ahead of Sony.  PS3 is still the system to beat.