X-Fan
05-04-2004, 08:00 AM
(at least in singapore)
SINGAPORE--Microsoft's XBox could succeed in grabbing the lion's share of the local game console hardware market by November this year, sources told CNETAsia.
Sony's Playstation 2 (PS2) and the XBox are currently embroiled in a two-way fight for market dominance in the republic, with the PS2 traditionally holding its edge over the newer rival. However, it appears that Sony's edge is being eroded fast. According to an industry source, the XBox is actually outselling the PS2, garnering 65 percent of the monthly console shipments in Singapore.
The PS2, launched in February 2000, has been well-received worldwide. The XBox, first launched in the United States in November 2001, only made its Singapore debut a year later. Despite the lag, it appears Microsoft's unrelenting sales and marketing push in the island-state is starting to produce results.
Microsoft Singapore will not comment on local sales figures, but claimed 1.3 million units of the XBox have been sold in Asia. Sources close to the company indicate that since its launch here, 60,000 of those XBox units have been sold through official distributors, while parallel imports accounted for another 12,000 units.
By June this year, he said Sony's lead in the local console market is likely to be reduced to 54 percent and Microsoft is set to take the lead by November.
Broadening their installed base is crucial for console makers like Sony and Microsoft. With greater user support, game developers are inclined to invest in new titles for the platforms and in turn, Sony and Microsoft stand to gain from the software license fees.
Sony's PS2 software sales have been dented in the region due to rampant piracy. Microsoft did not confirm local figures for its console games but sources estimate that 120,000 XBox titles have been sold in Singapore over the last 11 months.
Game developer Electronic Arts told CNETAsia that XBox games makes up 32 percent of its sales in contrast to PS2 titles which accounts for a mere 2 percent of its revenue. In addition, Loo Leong Thye, chief executive of Singapore-based IT superstore Challenger Technologies, said XBox software currently makes 30 percent of the its games sales, although the company does not stock PS2 games at the moment. He added that the launch of the XBox Live online gaming service is expected to drive this up to 50 percent in the near future.
Despite Microsoft's insistence that XBox Live was not introduced as an anti-piracy measure, it will undoubtedly persuade serious gamers to avoid counterfeit games and ensure stable software sales. The service currently bans modified XBox consoles from logging on.
While XBox appears to be threatening dominance in the island-state, the real test will come next year when Sony launches the PS3 game console. In turn, Microsoft is expected to counterpunch with the release of the XBox 2.
Source (http://asia.cnet.com/newstech/personaltech/0,39001147,39177962,00.htm)
SINGAPORE--Microsoft's XBox could succeed in grabbing the lion's share of the local game console hardware market by November this year, sources told CNETAsia.
Sony's Playstation 2 (PS2) and the XBox are currently embroiled in a two-way fight for market dominance in the republic, with the PS2 traditionally holding its edge over the newer rival. However, it appears that Sony's edge is being eroded fast. According to an industry source, the XBox is actually outselling the PS2, garnering 65 percent of the monthly console shipments in Singapore.
The PS2, launched in February 2000, has been well-received worldwide. The XBox, first launched in the United States in November 2001, only made its Singapore debut a year later. Despite the lag, it appears Microsoft's unrelenting sales and marketing push in the island-state is starting to produce results.
Microsoft Singapore will not comment on local sales figures, but claimed 1.3 million units of the XBox have been sold in Asia. Sources close to the company indicate that since its launch here, 60,000 of those XBox units have been sold through official distributors, while parallel imports accounted for another 12,000 units.
By June this year, he said Sony's lead in the local console market is likely to be reduced to 54 percent and Microsoft is set to take the lead by November.
Broadening their installed base is crucial for console makers like Sony and Microsoft. With greater user support, game developers are inclined to invest in new titles for the platforms and in turn, Sony and Microsoft stand to gain from the software license fees.
Sony's PS2 software sales have been dented in the region due to rampant piracy. Microsoft did not confirm local figures for its console games but sources estimate that 120,000 XBox titles have been sold in Singapore over the last 11 months.
Game developer Electronic Arts told CNETAsia that XBox games makes up 32 percent of its sales in contrast to PS2 titles which accounts for a mere 2 percent of its revenue. In addition, Loo Leong Thye, chief executive of Singapore-based IT superstore Challenger Technologies, said XBox software currently makes 30 percent of the its games sales, although the company does not stock PS2 games at the moment. He added that the launch of the XBox Live online gaming service is expected to drive this up to 50 percent in the near future.
Despite Microsoft's insistence that XBox Live was not introduced as an anti-piracy measure, it will undoubtedly persuade serious gamers to avoid counterfeit games and ensure stable software sales. The service currently bans modified XBox consoles from logging on.
While XBox appears to be threatening dominance in the island-state, the real test will come next year when Sony launches the PS3 game console. In turn, Microsoft is expected to counterpunch with the release of the XBox 2.
Source (http://asia.cnet.com/newstech/personaltech/0,39001147,39177962,00.htm)