Investment bank Merrill Lynch predicts the Xbox 360 will secure the largest percentage of market share for next-gen consoles by 2011. The firm believes that Microsoft will take 40% of the global market with Sony and Nintendo following closely behind, and that 50% of the North American market will go to the 360 as compared to 27% and 23% by the PS3 and Wii respectively. In contrast, the bank pins Sony as the Japanese market leader with 59% followed by Nintendo's 39%.GameDaily reports: "Most people assume that Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii will eat away at Sony's market share, but a number of analysts still believe that in the long run Sony will come out on top. Not Merrill Lynch. The combination of Microsoft's head start and Sony's initial PS3 production issues should be just enough to give the 360 the edge."
Lynch dubs the forecasted North American lead the kicker for Microsoft as it's the world's largest video game market. So what does it all mean? Pick one, pick 'em all 'cause it's gonna be a tight three-way race. "We see the end of any common global dominant platform," said one Merrill Lynch analyst.
[Thanks, James]
