That was the joint-conclusion from two independent, high-profile analyst groups.
Electronic Entertainment Design and Research? (?EEDAR?)? believes that next-gen console and handheld sales in? ?North America will increase by? ?58%? ?over last year,? ?selling a combined total of? ?1,985,000? ?units.? ?Wedbush Morgan Securities?’ ?estimates,? ?meanwhile,? ?are largely in agreement that Jan? ?09? ?sales will dwarf that of last year’s,? ?though it forecasts total unit turnover of? ?1,650,000? ?units.
EEDAR’s Jesse Divnich believes that the sales boost was? mostly driven by the Nintendo Wii??,? ?which the group expects will? ?sell? ?740,000? ?units,? ?a? ?170 percent? ?increase over last January.? ?WMS adds that the Wii is expected to? ?show? ?“solid year-over-year growth in early? ?2009,? ?with supply and demand finally in balance by March or April.?”
The PS3,? ?conversely,? ?is forecast by both groups to be the only console which will experience a year-over-year sales decline.? ?WMS states that over the last three months? “?Sony’s PS3? ?hardware sales were modestly down? [?from the same period last year?] ?due to a higher value proposition?… ?We expect this trend to continue in January.?”
EEDAR agrees,? ?stating that Sony’s powerhouse console is expected to be stung by a? ?22? ?percent year-over-year decline in sales.?
For the Xbox? ?360,? ?EEDAR foresees an annual sales increase of? ?30? ?percent for the January month.? ?The console collection? (?from? ?Arcade to Elite?) ?is projected to amass around? ?300,000? ?sales,? ?whereas WMS predicts a slightly more conservative sales result:? ?expecting Microsoft’s box to move? ?275,000? ?units.? ?Both predictions,? ?however different,? ?still expect the console to improve on its Jan? ?08? ?NPD sales month.?