US Analyst Sees Grim Winter, 2006
Another crystal ball gazing session reflects 15 months Scrooge would be proud of.
Just days after one US analyst predicted success for the Xbox 360 and handhelds (especially the DS) between now and 2008, another has weighed in with its, more immediate, prognostications.
US analyst firm UBS Investment Research said that the industry could be in for a slow winter, according to a report at GameSpot.
The company said that the early arrival of the Xbox 360 together with slowing sales of current-gen consoles and software and the lack of as many big-hitters as Christmas 2004 means that sales would be fractionally down this year - despite year-on-year sales currently standing 9 per cent higher than 2004.
The firm also sees 2006 as being when people take the leap into the next-generation, but with current-gen sales predicted to be dropping fast, the industry is in for a flat 2006.
Alex Wollenschlaeger
Editor, Kikizo Games
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