Gamertell

The Wii has built a huge sales lead over the Xbox 360 and PS3 but it still trails the Xbox 360 in terms of its installed-base – the number of units actually in use. However, the way Wiis are disappearing from store shelves, it will not be long before the Wii installed-base flies past the 360. According to market research firm, iSuppli, the Wii will have the largest installed-base among the current generation consoles by the end of 2008.

iSuppli expects Wii’s installed-base by year-end to be 30.2 million units, up from 18 million in 2007. On the other hand, the installed-base of the Xbox 360 is expected to be 25.7 million units in 2008, clearly below the Wii’s. In a press release, iSupply analyst Pam Tufegdzic attributed the Wii’s success to its cost-effectiveness and popularity among casual gamers. Tufegdzic said that at this stage consumers were willing to pay less for the Wii and be entertained than pay more for the “latest and greatest technology.”

The market research firm senses the eventuality of hardcore gamers coming to the PS3’s rescue, which it expects to lead the installed-base charts by 2011.Quite interesting, another analyst conjectures the PS3’s eventual dominance after Wedbush Morgan’s Michael Pachter had predicted in January that the PS3 will wrest the top position from the Wii after an year.

Read [Information Week]