The upshot is that Sony is likely to have a pretty bang-up 2001 with the PS2. Hard-core gamers will snap up every available unit for the first few months, and after that more compelling games will emerge and predicted price cuts could help draw in consumers interested in more of a general living room appliance. The first couple million units are going to go to the serious gamers. Then I think it's very possible for them to bring in a second wave of new users going into the summer. After that all bets are off, as Microsoft enters the market with the Xbox, which boasts Microsoft's marketing muscle and technical specifications suitable for a nuclear sub.
Nobody's positive that's even going to come out.
But if Microsoft really delivers, that really changes the market. Inc. All rights reserved.