It doesn't matter that Xbox, GameCube and PlayStation 2 hardware and software sales are slowing
as the aging consoles near the end of their useful lives. Raging sales for mobile platforms have more than made up for
it, thanks to strong demand from consumers who want their games on the go, according to a new study by research firm
NPD Group.
According to the data, retail sales of all game-related products rose 21% in the first half of 2005. The number of units of games sold rose by 11%, but portable hardware sales rose 181% percent on the back of a surge in sales of Nintendo's portal DS and Sony's just-launched PSP.
And we ain't seen nothin' yet: mobile phone sales are expected to reach one billion units per year by 2009 according to recent research by Gartner Group. At the rate phones are evolving, many of these new devices are going to be strong gaming machines AND espresso makers. The future's so bright, we gotta wear shades.
