Analysts strike again.

Not to question the Nostradamus-esque clairvoyance of the research firms out there, but what exactly is the basis for the claims they make?  Strategy Analytics is the new firm in town to give its opinion on the next-generation console wars, and while their predictions may prove accurate (Sony and Microsoft expanding their dominance at the expense of Nintendo?  It could happen),
their prediction is based on a total lack of information.  Especially their numbers: they are very accurate number predictions (even breaking out the decimal points to show how precise their predictions can be).

So far, the only console we really know about is the Xbox 360, and by that I mean its launch games.  Sony and Nintendo, all we really know is a launch year and the brand name.   Oh, and they plan to go online. We have no idea what kind of games are going to be on the system ? we barely even know what either looks like, the price ranges
(though we have estimated), what games each expects to have (Franchises?  Yes.  Games?  No), or any of the important matters.  Sony is building a home entertainment system meant to do everything (watch movies,
download music, surf internet, make toast) on top of being a gaming console.  Nintendo?  No one even knows the controller!  Nintendo?s most prized asset, so far, is its online service, downloading retro games.  It?s trying to appeal to the casual gamer and the hardcore gamer alike, I suspect, but I dare not say for sure because I am no market analyst.  I do, however, feel that we cannot rely on history alone to decide the fate of the console wars, as none of these systems resemble exactly their predecessors.

Head over to GameSpot to read about this new research firm, but like the rest, take it with a grain of salt until we know more about each product.