14 DAY TRIAL // The International Data Corporation market research company says that the lower launch price of the PlayStation 4 from Sony will offer the console a big advantage in its competition with the Xbox One from Microsoft.
Lewis Ward, the research manager, believes that the number of consoles shipped this year by all manufacturers will be a little higher than that posted for 2012, which stands at 33 million.
The Android-based Ouya and the hardware powered by the recently announced SteamOS will have a small impact in the near future and will not affect Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo by 2017, according to VG247.
IDC also believes that the launch of the Xbox One and the PlayStation 4, which will lead to an increase in the console install base, will drive up revenue coming from Xbox Live and the PSN.
At the same time, digital based sales on the PC will continue to slowly decline.